Fridays

End of the Road...

2010-03-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

As mentioned by my co-blogger, Margot, this is the last blog posting for Fridays. We said we were going to do it for a year, and we did. It always amazes me how quickly time flies, but this past year has literally buzzed right by. There will be no more wondering early in the week what my Friday will bring me because I know I'm going to end up writing about it. Now Friday is just like any other day of the week. There will be no more curiosity as to how Margot's Friday went and if she is going to write about something similiar to me... Our blog postings will continue on, but without the shared forum.

I do find it interesting to read and compare where I was this time last year to now. It's like a naughty peek into someone's journal, only that journal happens to belong to me. I would say I'm in a better place and admit to feeling a bit energized by that acknowledgement. It bring hope that perhaps this time next year I'll be in an even better place, even though there will be not Fridays to catalog that evolution.

However, it isn't all sad endings. Once Margot returns from her trip to North America, we begin the process of turning Fridays into a book. When the book is complete, we jump on to the promotional bandwagon. So it really isn't an end to Fridays. Rather, it is simply a different phase. And, who knows? Perhaps there is another project waiting for us to jump into?

An end, and a new adventure...

2010-03-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well as you can probably tell, this little blogger is going away!

Hubby and I are leaving for North America tomorrow. While I'm excited to be going (who wouldn't be!) I'm also nervous about leaving my family (kids are staying) and home... not to mention halting my running routine! A month is a long time to be away...

But I'm so excited about meeting family and seeing new things.

Did you notice anything about the photo? I'm sure a woman will pick it up right away! My suitcase is packed. The only things that aren't packed are my toiletries as I will use them Saturday morning just before we leave... but I know where they're going to be put in the bags. It's all organised.

The other bag, hubby's bag, is completely empty. It's not to say that he won't take everything he needs and be completely ready, but he's just a lot more relaxed about it!

I also have my clothes for Saturday hanging up there next to the bags so when I get up, I don't have to think at all!This is it! It's all happening now!

When we first booked it, March 27th seemed so far away and now it's here!

It's kind of ironic that my fellow blogger and I's year of Friday's ends the day before I take one of the biggest trips of my life!

I expect to take lots of photos and videos, meet lots of lovely interesting people and have many new and varied experiences.

31 days are going to fly by!

And on that note, I'll say goodbye and hope to see you over at my regular blog.
Wish me bon voyage!

Good Fortune... Good Luck

2010-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today each member of the family received a fortune cookie with these fortunes. Not bad, eh?

My sister received the first one, which was interesting because she doesn't really put her hands to much. That isn't to say she's lazy, but it is to say she doesn't have a job (by no fault of her own) nor does she really have any hobbies except reading and photography. So apparently she is going to be reading a lot of good books and taking some amazing photographs. When I think about it, that isn't so bad. I would be quite happy with that fortune and those results.

My mum received the second fortune. That actually seemed perfect for her. She is in nursing at the local hospital, and has been in nursing for over 30 years. However, she's never gone for any sort of promotion nor does she intended to. At 61, she is looking more toward retirement that climbing the career ladder. However, when she received this fortune, her first response was "And that role is grandma." Um... okay. News to me, but I'll go with it. It made her happy, so why not? I'll get on to that tomorrow... I just need to find where I put that sperm and all those adoption applications.

The last fortune was for me. Succinct and to the point. I like fortunes like that. And, quite honestly, I could use more fortune and luck in my life. Lately, it doesn't seem like I've had much of either. In fact, I think it is pretty safe to say I haven't had any luck and my fortune is non-existent. I'll take whatever doses of either (preferrably both) that is due to me. So bring it on... I'm waiting. C'mon Fortune Cookie Gods... where is it? I wonder if I can sue for false advertising? I didn't think so. Bummer. I thought for certain the proceeds was where my great fortune and luck laid. It certainly isn't in the Lotto ticket that I bought.

"Mo"seying around...

2010-03-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was walking down one of our city streets this morning when I came across this figure.

As we've had a few international festivals and events here in Adelaide recently, I wasn't sure initially if it was a statue or a street performer! Buskers are often found throughout the city but they seem to multiply whenever an international event is being held.

I stood as close as I dared for a little while, watching for a blink or for any breathing movement.
In my defense, I was still quite a distance away.

The closer I got, the sillier I felt because it was quite obviously a statue.

Not only was it obvious that it was a statue, there was even a tile on the ground, detailing who the likeness was of. Why hadn’t I noticed that before! How strange I must have looked standing there trying to work out if it was a real person or not.

It's a statue of Roy "Mo" Rene who apparently was one of Australia's greatest and most loved comedians.
I say apparently because I'd never heard of him!

He lived from 1891-1954 so perhaps that's why but still for someone who's supposed to be one of Australia's greatest I would have thought I'd have heard of the name.

He performed around Australia and New Zealand, eventually moving to Sydney where he joined the vaudeville circuit.
Later he teamed with another comedian and the act became known as the "Stiffy and Mo" comedy act.

What I found interesting were the list of catch phrases that are attributed to "Mo" that we still use today. Now these phrases I am familiar with but had no idea they originally came from him! (if you can believe these tales)

The phrases were
"Strike me Lucky"
"Don't come the raw prawn with me"
"Fair suck of the sav"
"You beaut"

Another thing I learnt was that the Australia entertainment industry's annual "Mo Award" for excellence in live performance was named after this character!

Makes me kind of wish I had known about him.
He sounds like he would have been an interesting person to know doesn't he?

Wedding Planning

2010-03-12T09:15:00.001-08:00

Today I'm planning for a wedding. There is so much to consider... colors, venue, weather, number of guests, the wedding dress, flowers, etc. You name it; it is all part of the wedding event and must be taken under consideration. If I forget the most minor detail, there could be a missed opportunity that will haunt me.

No, it isn't my wedding. And no, I'm not the wedding planner. I'm the wedding photographer.

Today someone booked a wedding with me. The wedding is in July, but it is complicated by the fact that it isn't taking place where I live. It is actually taking place roughly 500 miles away. So the venue is a place I'm not familiar with and wll not have the luxury of scoping out ahead of time. I will not have any of the luxuries awarded to a photographer who is located in the more immediate proximity of the location, the bride/groom, and bridal party. So, this requires a lot of planning.

Luckily my favorite photography magazine arrived in the mail today. Even more lucky, it is the wedding issue. So, I've been scouring the pages - gathering ideas and making lists of all the things I need to remember to plan for, to ask about, and to bring along. Everything from lighting to ladders (so I can photograph from up high) need to be loaded into my truck before I hit the road because I do not have the ability to just pop back to my office to pick it up. This is where my attention to detail is going to count the most.

The event is going to be big, but I believe it is also going to be fun. The bride and groom are down-to-earth people who are in it for the family, friends, and good time which always makes it easier for a wedding photographer. This will help, especially because everything else about my assignment is going to be up-in-the-air. But, I suppose that is what draws me to this job... the challenge.

Twenty Seconds Of Potential Fame Scheduled

2010-03-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how long I've been listening to the Preston and Steve show, but it's probably just over five years.

The Preston and Steve show is a morning radio program out of Philadelphia.

How did this Australian come to be listening to a breakfast show from Philadelphia?

It's not as strange as you might think. I'd just acquired an mp3 and wanted things to listen to when I went for my walks and runs. I did a search online for "celebrity gossip podcasts" and there wasn't a great deal that came up, but one link that kept occurring was this Preston and Steve show.They have a "celebrity gossip" section during their morning show so that's why it would come up in my search.

From the very first listen I was hooked. I felt like I was listening to a comedy routine! My kids thought I'd become even more insane because a lot of times, they wouldn't know I was listening to my mp3 and they'd hear me guffawing out in the kitchen to seemingly nothing.

There's been more than one time when I'm stifling a laugh while travelling on public transport listening to these guys. The whole team is just hilarious.

The radio station and I have communicated quite regularly over the years. I've even had the odd mention over the air!

The big news is, I've told them that hubby and I are going to be in their neck of the woods next month and they've invited us in! We're going to be on the Preston and Steve show! After all this time it will great to meet the voices I've listened to!

I'm a little nervous about how hubby will handle it. He's not familiar with the show and they can be quite crude and crass at times. There's also usually an abundance of scantily clad women in the studio (I'm sure he'll love that part!)

But whatever happens, I'm sure it will be a once in a lifetime experience and I'm very much looking forward to the visit!

Baker or Bust

2010-03-06T02:01:00.000-08:00

This Friday was spent at Mt. Baker, and it is about time! See, I've been trying to get to Mt. Baker for probably that last two weeks and something always got in the way. If it wasn't the weather - it was family. If it wasn't work - it was all my other responsibilities. But today was going to be different. Today I was going to get to Baker if it killed me, or I was going to end up killing someone.

The day started out on target. There were only a few stops we had to make, but they would be quick. Everything went according to plan until we hit our last stop - Wal-Mart. I hate Wal-Mart. The employees are rude, the people I encounter there are annoying, and the aisles are so narrow that I feel claustrophobic shopping there. However, it is the only place in town where I can buy one of my sister's prescriptions at a reasonable price. And today I had to pick up that prescription. But, I was prepared. I called in the prescription two days ago, so the pharmacy would have everything ready. However, when I arrived the woman at the counter told me they were still filling it and I needed to come back in 15 minutes. I was not pleased, but I sucked it up and killed time. After all, I would be on the road to Baker in 15 minutes. When I returned, the woman then told me I had to talk to someone in a different line, so I had to go to the other side of the pharmacy and wait. I was not pleased and was quickly getting pissed. But I queued up and when my turned came, I found out they didn't have the pills in stock and I would have to come back on Monday. Didn't have the pills in stock! Now, keep in mind, I called this prescription in 2 days prior. When I mentioned that, she said she didn't understand why they hadn't received the pills because they usually arrive within 24 hours of an order. But it didn't change anything. I still had to come back on Monday. That 15 minutes? It had turned into 45 minutes by the time I walked away from the pharamcy counter.

Nonetheless, I was heading to Baker. The family piled into the truck, me still fuming about not getting the prescription I had ordered in advance (and grateful we have enough of the medication to last until Monday), and we hit the road to Baker. However, within 10 minutes we were at a dead-stop. Road construction. The annoying orange cones and indifferent flagger with the stop/slow sign were in front of me, and we were going nowhere. I remember inhaling deeply several times, thinking these people were not going to ruin my day. Within 20 minutes, we were moving again and heading to Baker.

My big itch to go to Baker stems from the fact that we haven't had much snow this year, so the opportunity for me to get some good winter photos has not been there. And as we drove up the narrow road, carefully maneuvering the switchbacks, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. No snow. What we were seeing were conditions that one would normally see in June. Streams were at a trickle, while rivers were so low that thoughts of drought and summer water rationing popped into my head. I knew all those snowboarding photographs and majestic evergreens set in a blanket of white were just not going to happen. As we neared Heather Meadows, I felt a twinge of relief. There was snow. It wasn't the crisp, mountain-white snow, but the dirty grey snow. And still, I saw no skiers or snowboarders.

As we drove passed the lodge, I began to spy more pristine snow. There wasn't much, but it was there. And when we got to our destination, there was even more snow. Unfortunately, there weren't any skiers or snowboarders for me to photograph in action, but I was still able to snap a good 600 photographs and get my fill of winter by hiking around and playing in the snow. In fact, several times I nearly fell off the mountainside because of how far I was willing to go to get that one shot. It also didn't help that I was wearing the wrong shoes. The sound of my mum shouting, "Get back here!" and "Careful!" are still echoing in my head.

And as we started back down the mountain - cold, wet, and tired - I realized that while there were countless opportunities today where circumstances could have easily made me give up and go home, I persevered. I knew what I wanted, and I pushed forward - no matter how many things presented themselves to make me crabby, snarky, and down-right bitchy. I also realized I need to dig into that perseverance well more often. It isn't just need for snow and photographs.

Time For A Cleanout!

2010-03-04T16:52:00.000-08:00

It's scary isn't it?

This is the contents of my handbag.

The scariest thing about it, is this is the contents of my handbag AFTER my big clean out this morning!

As I'm sure every woman knows, there comes a time in your life when you just can't put it off any longer.
Your handbag becomes the receptacle for anything that doesn't go anywhere else.

It's worse if you have young children because you end up lugging their discarded bits and pieces and it's amazing what gets into the crevices of your handbag! I find myself picking out things that have been there for years! And often, I make exclamations such as “oh so that’s where that got to!” or “What the hell is that???” or “Which kid put THIS in here!!!!”

Fun times.

I also have a husband who likes to give me his phone and car keys to carry around - and on a side note, shouldn’t the men be the ones carrying our stuff rather than us, carrying their stuff??? Bring on the man bag!!!

So today I had a clean out and this is what made it back into my handbag.

See if you can pick out the items!

1. My purse
2. My work pass
3. My watch
4. Headache tablets
5. Millions of pens
6. Fake, no calorie sugar
7. Lipstick - which is a terrible colour but useful in an emergency
8. Pocket sized puzzle book for times that I'm completely and utterly bored and need mental stimulation.
9. USB
10. Note book for writing/blog ideas and general scrap paper
11. Mobile Phone
12. Keys, complete with microphone key ring. (I just love that!)
13. "Green" bag so I don't have to use the shops plastic ones
14. My camera which goes with me wherever I go.

And that's my life spread out on the kitchen table! That's everything I could need at the drop of a hat, to get myself out of most day to day troubles.

What's next?
My purse!!!
I need to clean this out before our trip overseas!!
But not today... I've done enough for today!

It's All In the Packaging...

2010-02-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Today I dropped off the disc that contains all those engagement photographs I took a few weeks ago for this great, young couple who are marrying in June. While I've shot engagement photographs before, this is the first time it is under my actual business so making a good impression is important. For me, it simply isn't enough to just hand over a disc. The entire package counts.

A few years ago I paid a professional photographer to take my portrait. I needed some high quality shots done for a lot of speaking engagements I had, so I thought it best to go to someone who knows their stuff instead of simply doing it myself. I was thoroughly disappointed. Not only was the experience of having a professional take my photograph less-than-thrilling for me, but the end product wasn't something I would willing stamp my name on.

The photo session was boring, and I spent more time waiting for the photographer to set everything up then actually having my photograph taken. She did nothing to make me smile, and she didn't seem to know how to shoot me - even though we met earlier and I told her exactly what I wanted. My smiles were half-assed, and my poses were contrived. Within two hours, I was exhausted from having to work so hard at not showing my boredom, disappointment, and annoyance. My smiles were not genuine, and though I hadn't seen the images yet I knew the photographer was not using the most flattering light or angles.

It took well over six weeks before I actually received the disc with my images, and it was only because I had to nag the photographer. When I received the disc (in the mail), it was nothing more than a CD-R with my name handwritten on it with a black Sharpie marker. That's it?!?! Not even a protective sleeve?!?! Nope. And when I popped the disc into my computer and viewed the images, my suspicions about the photographs were confirmed.

When I decided to pursue my photography professionally, I vowed I would not be so unprofessional. I would be prepared and present a package worth buying. My rates aren't cheap, so I want to make sure that every client got their money's worth. I know what kind of lighting is needed, what angles are most flattering, and how to make the subject smile, laugh, and pout on cue. And, just as important, I wanted to hand over the finished goods personally. Not mail it, as the photographer did with my image disc, and I wanted it to feel like a gift. Sure, it was a gift they paid for but it needs to be special.

So I have created a custom line of disc labels and covers, along with bags. Each bag not only prominently displays my logo and comes tied with a pretty ribbon, but I have tags that are tied to the handles of each bag. These tags include one of the images taken during the photo session as well as the date of the session. This makes the gift even more unique and special, and helps me keep organized. I don't consider myself a crafty person, but I do know what I like. I do know what stands out. And, quite frankly, if my photographer had put in even half the effort that I do for the pre-session, actual session, and final product - she would have more repeat business.

A Wall Of Bikes

2010-02-25T18:40:00.000-08:00

Adelaide is hosting the Adelaide Fringe at the moment and the city is awash with every type of performer you can imagine - From the most eccentric or bohemian street performer, to classically trained artists. Anything and everything is available!

The Festival runs for just over three weeks and it’s not uncommon to run into performers as you’re walking through the city streets of Adelaide at this time. It’s certainly keeps things interesting! There’s an electric buzz in the air. I love it!

I don't know if my photo is related to the Fringe but I can only imagine it is.

Last week, hubby was on his usual
bicycle ride into the city when he noticed a huge pile of bikes. They were stacked high, one on top of the other. Hundreds upon hundreds! He had no idea what they were for (and his first thought as a cyclist was "what a waste!")

Yesterday, when he came back from his bike ride, he told me they'd been set up to form a fence that was two bikes high. It stretched out far across one of our city parks. I was intrigued and had to go have a look at lunch time and sure enough, there were the bikes! They looked so impressive!

I'm not even sure what they were doing there as they seemed to be just fencing off an area where a performance was going to be held but what was the significance of using bikes? And what was the performance going to be about?

I looked up the Fringe Festival events and went through many trying to find out what this event could be but couldn't find it. So at this stage, it's still a mystery but I think it will be a very long time before a see a sight like this again!

Fast Food...

2010-02-19T19:19:00.000-08:00

Most people know, I am not a fan of fast food. However, there are times when I resort to fast food. Usually those times are when there is nothing else around and my little sister is having a blood sugar crash (she's a diabetic). Then I'll go to the nearest fast food drive-in and purchase what I think is the healthiest of the offerings. Today, that wasn't what happened.

Today was suppose to be a day enjoying the sunshine and snow - photographing snowboarders and skiers as they made their way down the mountain. While my family enjoyed the warming goodness of the lodge, I would be tramping around in knee-deep snow - snapping away at anything and everything I want to capture with my cameras. Unfortunately, that isn't what happened today. Instead, today was spent running errands.

Running errands was the original plan, but I made a deal with Mum that we would only do half the errands in the morning and then head up to Mt Baker for the rest of the day. We would do the other half of the errands tomorrow. However, once we got started on those errands we had identified for today - circumstances conspired to prevent me from enjoying my time in the snow. Instead, I was going from one place to the next - trying desperately not to lose my temper with the idiots I encountered, while also not attempting to strangle my extra cranky little sister. This brings me to the fast food...

At around 3 p.m. - after having had no breakfast or lunch - I realized I was hungry. I then realized that maybe if I bought some food for my litle sister, she wouldn't be such a bitch. She had eaten breakfast and lunch, but it had been about 4 hours since she last ate. Unfortunately for me, the nearest fast food joint was McDonalds.

I HATE McDonalds. I cannot emphasize this enough: HATE McDonalds. I think it is a plague on humanity and a significant reason why we have such a problem with obesity in this world. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. I bought myself the healthiest thing I could find (a grilled chicken sandwich), while I bought my sister and Mum what they insisted on - Big Macs. Just the smell of Big Macs makes my stomach churn. And to eat one? I would be in the hosptial. Seriously. My body does not like me to eat highly fatty foods and a Big Mac has approximately 29 grams of fat in it. That is significant enough to cause incredible pain for me. In fact, the last time I went to the hospital with that kind of pain - I was immediately put on an IV drip of morophine. Yep - morophine.

So, here is the moral of the story... Even when you think it is healthy... it isn't. My grilled chicken sandwich (of which I had no mayo and didn't eat the bread)? It still had 10 grams of fat in it. While that is nothing compared to the Big Mac, it was still enough to cause me some pain. While no morophine was warranted, it did call for Vicodin. This only goes to emphasize why I hate fast food.

But at least I had an excuse to stop running the errands.

Nothing Like Freshly Baked Bread!

2010-02-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you have received those survey type emails, where you're supposed to answer questions, then forward the email onto all your friends.

Some of the questions you may be asked in the email include
"Favourite time of day?"
"Bacon bits or croutons?"
"How many cities have you lived in?"
"What is your favourite smell?"

And it's the last one that I'm writing about today.

If you've noticed this question on those surveys, you'll see that a lot of people include the answer "freshly baked bread". No doubt, it's one of my favourites!

I'd received one of these emails yesterday with that question and answer on there and it got me thinking about how long it's been since I've baked bread! How nice would it be to wake up in the morning, to that smell? I could just imagine smothering a piece of warm crusty bread with delicious butter. It's making my mouth water right now!

Before you think I'm some kind of Martha Stewart, my bread baking involves that wonderful appliance that's called a bread maker! I set it last night, Thursday night, so that we'd have fresh bread this Friday morning.
I set it to be ready about 6.10am because at that time, I would have finished running, hubby would be just about home from his night shift, and the kids would be just getting up, ready to face another day of school.

The treadmill is upstairs and as I was running, I could smell that delicious smell of the bread baking and could just imagine the crusty goodness that was awaiting me! Talk about motivation to run!

As planned, the bread was a success and half the loaf was gone before I'd even left for work!

How can you argue with something that gives such comfort and is so easy to do?

Might have to do this again soon!

Chinese New Year

2010-02-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Like my blog mate, I don't do Valentine's Day. I never really did. Even when in a relationship, I was never gung-ho about the day. When I was a kid and we had to exchange Valentine's cards and bring a plateful of goodies to class, the only thing I ever was really excited about was we didn't have to do any schoolwork for an hour because we were having our Valentine's Day party. To me, Valentine's Day is nothing more than a plague on the psyche. I would much rather be doing something else.

This year, I have a real excuse to party. This year, this Sunday in fact, is Chinese New Year. That is a holiday I can get behind. I love everything about the Chinese New Year. In fact, I think Chinese New Year is far superior to the western New Year. In the Chinese New Year, they use animals to represent what kind of year it is going to be, they exchange gifts (typically money), they eat great food, and colorful dragons dance through the streets. Fireworks, dumplings, and good fortune... how can you beat that?!?!

My little family has spent the Chinese New Year in a variety of ways, but we always take the time to recognize it. This year is no exception, and today I spent planning out of simple celebration. While there won't be any fireworks (though I do still have some left over from Independence Day) or dancing dragons, there will be good food (even dumplings) and good fortune. I spent some time researching what the Year of the Tiger will mean for my little family, who were born in Rat, Monkey, and Rooster years. Of course, the Year of the Tiger doesn't bode well for me (the Monkey) since it is my opposite, but I actually think it is going to be a good year. Why? Because every Monkey year, every year that was supposed to be "my year," turned out to be the worst (thank goodness it only comes around once every 12 years). So maybe this Year of the Tiger will have the opposite effect. Fingers crossed that good fortune (along with a few fortune cookies) awaits!

Feelin' The Love

2010-02-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

I can't escape the love it seems.

Tomorrow is my husband and I's anniversary and the following day is the dreaded Valentines day. How can a single day bring equal amounts of jubilation and pain?

For the record I hate Valentine’s day, but I quite like my wedding anniversary! In a world where marriage seems to have less and less meaning, I like that we've made it another year.

Having said that, I don't expect to get any gifts as we're just not like that. I really hate for someone to feel like they have to buy me something, just because a day on the calendar says they must. I much prefer thoughtful gifts through the year. If you get something too often, you come to expect it and it's not 'special' anymore. But everyone wants to be loved and appreciated don't they?

So when it comes to gifts, I find the best way to avoid disappointment is to buy them for myself.
These earrings pictured are my absolute favourite and were a gift to myself for some day -Birthday/Mother's day/Valentine’s Day - I can't remember what the holiday was. It might even have been a 'spoil myself' day (I seem to have a few of those!).

They're not flashy earrings, but there's something about them that makes me feel special. When I'm wearing them, they get lost in my hair so it’s not even as if other people can notice them. It’s just fact that I have them on that makes me feel good.
They’re a pretty colour and sparkly without being glitzy.

I love these earrings!!

I think every girl has something in her closet or jewellery drawer that gives an immediate mood lift.

Not sure if the same applies to the male kind but either way, I’m glad I’m wearing my earrings today!

You like?

Scouting Locations

2010-02-06T02:49:00.000-08:00

I have an engagement photo shoot to do on February 13. It is a young couple, who don't have much, but they really want to be married to each other. They're one of these couples who are just simply cute together. So, I spent a portion of today scouting out some locations to take their engagement photos.

Their wedding reception is happening at this place called The Homestead. It is one of those golf course/resort businesses, but it is smack-dab in dairy country. So, if you're lucky, it doesn't smell like cow manure whenever you step outside. Unfortunately for this area of the region, it often smells like cow manure. The theme of the business is suppose to be a farm homestead, so the buildings all look like barnes. There is antique farming equipment placed in various locations, as well as giant sized chickens. It's ketchy, but apparently it has an amazing golf course. I wouldn't know because I don't play golf. I honestly don't see the appeal of the sport or the place.

However, I went out there today to see if it is a place I want to take them next Saturday to do some of their engagement shots. It isn't. Since wedding photos are in the cards, I drove around the place to see what I can do in advanced planning. Unless they're looking to have their photograph done with a giant, metal chicken... I didn't see much. I went on the location's website and most of the wedding photographs they used for publicity shots were of couples on the golf course. Interesting idea... if this couple actually played golf. But considering the limted options this place provides, it may be the direction we go. At least I know one thing, we won't be doing the engagement shots there.

An Apple A Day...

2010-02-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

One day, a long time ago when I actually watched the Oprah Winfrey show (no comments please), I remember her saying that the best decorating feature a house could have was a bowl of fruit.

I don't know why that thought has always stuck with me over the years. Most of the time I have a bowl of fruit out but it usually doesn't contain the exotic fruits that Oprah was talking about having in hers!

My bowl of fruit usually contains apples, pears and oranges. I wanted the kids to know that fruit was an "anytime" food.

How perfect is it? Low in calories, high in fibre and nutrients. Can't get much better than that!

No matter what type of cake I make, you can be sure there is one type of fruit in there, and usually, it's a combination. If it's an orange I'll blend it completely in the blender (skin and all) and chuck it in the cake mix.

If it's anything else, I'll either blend it, or better still, just cut it into small pieces so you can taste the baked fruit as you bite through your piece of cake. Delicious!

And although I wouldn't want to call cake nutritious, if you're going to have a piece, it's better to have one with some fruit in it isn't it?

Since I've been running, I've been paying a little more attention to my diet and fruit has been a strong feature! My little bowl of ordinary, everyday fruit doesn't seem to last long anymore...
But that's a good thing!

Fruit is such a great pick me up and is associated with so many good things that like Oprah, I have to agree that a bowl of fruit does wonders to anyroom because of the feelings and emotions associated with it.

Anyone for an apple?

Cuppa Tea

2010-01-29T22:33:00.000-08:00

I love oolong tea, but there are only two occasions when I will drink tea. The first is when I eat Chinese food. For some reason, no other beverage works for me except a nice, steaming cup of oolong tea. The orangy black tea is the perfect compliment to my usual order of almond chicken and pan fried noodles. The second occasion is when I am sick. And on this Friday, it is the later which had me breaking out the oolong.

I've been battling a case of strep-turned-cold since Monday. I'm blaming it on the wacky weather we've been having which has pulled me into this funky, drinky mess. The inconsistencies - first it is really warm, then suddenly it becomes freezing cold - have sent my body and its immune system into a tizzy, so it was time to break out the kettle and oolong.

Whenever I have my tea, I have to have it in a particular tea cup with a very specific spoon. However, I do not have anything in my oolong... no sweetener (though my doctor is advocating for a liberal use of honey for my throat) of any kind. I don't like hot drinks, nor do I like a bitter taste. It is probably why I don't drink (nor ever have) coffee. Kind of ironic that I don't drink coffee, since I come from the land of Starbucks. But while oolong's taste is a tad on the bitter side, there is nothing more soothing to me. Chamomille is too bland, while ginger tea is too... well, ginger.

So, while I nurse my sixth cup of oolong and inhale deeply in an attempt to let the steam from the beverage work its magic on my sinuses (and pores), I'm grateful that I have this little black tea to keep me company while I battle this stupid ick that is overtaken me. It loves me no matter how drippy or grumpy I become... which is more than I can say for the family.

Homer's Loose!

2010-01-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

My son has a different sense of humour which makes life interesting at times!

A few days ago, I was having a shower and I reached up to grab the shampoo bottle only to be startled. Right next to the shampoo bottle was Homer Simpson staring back down at me.

I almost grabbed my towel.

I immediately assumed it was my son who'd set him up there but didn't think too much of it.

The next day, Homer was gone.

If I thought Homer was gone for good though, I was mistaken.

Later that day I was making dinner and opened the cupboards to take out the dinner plates. Sitting between the dinner plates and cereal bowl was Homer Simpson and perhaps I'm mistaken but he seems to have a "gotcha!" look on his face. As if he's just caught me out doing something wrong! And to clarify, I'm perfect and don't do anything wrong ;-)

I took him out of the cupboard and left him up on the counter but by the end of the day, he was gone again.

That was last night.

I thought Homer's escapades had come to an end until this morning, when I was out watering my plants (yes it is a very rare event) before the heat of the day hit, and lo and behold, what was staring down at me from one of my empty hanging pots but Homer!!!

Through all these Homer sightings, my son hasn't said a word, nor have I actually seen him with Homer which makes the Homer sightings even funnier.

Maybe I share my son’s silly sense of humour.

Maybe he even got it from me?

Can’t wait to see where Homer is going to turn up next!

Do It Yourself

2010-01-22T18:52:00.000-08:00

I did not grow up with a man in the house. No, in fact, it has always been just me, my mum, and my little sister. Because of this, I have had to rely on myself to do those things that are often left to men to address. One of those things happens to be car repairs.

I had my first car when I was 16 years old, and it was drilled into me by my grandfather that I cannot rely on others to make sure my car was always running. He also felt, of everyone in the family (including the men), I was smart enough to learn mechanics so I should, but not pretty enough to bat my eyes and have some man fall to his knees and beg to fix my car. Yes, my grandfather was an ass. But, I digress... So, I learned how to change the oil and transmission fluid; how to change the spark plugs and meddle with the carborator so the engine wouldn't cut-out.

When I was 20, I hooked up (in the romantic sense) with a mechanic and learned even more. I was always full of questions, and more interested in how to fix the crappy Ford Tempo I drove then where our relationship was going. Today, I can do all sorts of things with my truck and car. Sure, I prefer to hire a mechanic to do the work for me, but I can still pick up a wrench and do what I need to do. I cannot rebuild an engine or replace all the electrical, but I can pop the hood and identify all the important parts, diagnose the basics (i.e. replace the fuse or battery, timing belt problems, carborator hissy-fits, alternator issues, etc.), change the tire, replace the headlights, etc. Today, it was replace the right-side brake and reverse lights.

And as I went about taking apart the casing so I could change the bulbs and put everything back together again, my mum stood there muttering "I'm so glad you know how to do this... I couldn't manage it." My response was "Why?" Immediately she shook her head and muttered, "I'm not good at that stuff. I wouldn't know where to begin." So we began at the beginning. Most of the time I was doing the work, but I was making sure she knew exactly what it was I was doing. Next time, she'll be doing it herself. After all, why rely on someone else when you can rely on yourself?

Character, Convenience & Class

2010-01-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty lucky because the tram line runs right past my work building.That means that if I want to go to the wonderful Adelaide Markets during my lunch break, I can just hop on a free tram and ride down there in air conditioned comfort (and the air conditioned part was very much appreciated today!)

It's also handy if my husband is coming to pick me up from work. Instead of going through the thick of city traffic, I can hop on the free tram and get off on the outskirts of the city, where he'll be waiting... traffic stress free!

But apart from the practical side of things, I kind of like the way the trams look as they travel along the city streets.

We only have one tram line here in Adelaide and it starts from the pretty seaside suburb of Glenelg, and travels 12kms into the city centre, passing by our parliament house.
There are plans to extend the line past our Entertainment centre which is a few more kilometres away yet!

Within the city square, the service is free so I use it quite often! They come every few minutes, are clean and just so convenient! It's one of the things I love about Adelaide city. They add so much colour and character to this city which is still largely unspoilt.

And as I mentioned earlier, I used the tram today to go to the Adelaide city Markets which deserves its own blog entry! Such atmosphere, such smells! You want to buy everything you see there and it's almost guaranteed that you'll leave a few kilos heavier! (Or at least you will be when you consume what you buy there)

So well done to the Adelaide City Council for deciding to extend this tram line through the city. It's a service and a sight I very much appreciate.

Through the Wind

2010-01-15T03:31:00.001-08:00

Living where I live, the weather can get pretty interesting. The vast majority of people believe the Pacific Northwest - especially in the area of the Pacific Northwest I live in - only has two seasons: 360 days of rain and 5 days of sunshine. In actuality, we do not get nearly as much rain as people assume. Our problem is we don't receive enough sunny days. We have a lot of over-cast days, but our average rainfall is no more than... say... Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Last year wasn't a problem when it came to sunshine and warm weather. Our summer was a record-breaker with a lot of sunny, hot days. In fact, we had so many sunny and hot days that many people were concerned we would experience a drought. And, sure enough, many areas (more than I care to count) were put on notice they had to conserve water. However, when autumn arrived - water conservation was no longer an issue. The rain swept in, along with the wind. When winter arrived, it was less then impressive. Actually, it wasn't really too noticeable. It still felt like autumn... lots of rain and even more wind.

The wind has been a factor around here for both autumn and winter. I'm not talking light breezes, but powerful and destructive gusts that do plenty of damage. So far this year, we have had trees fall in our backyard, sections of our fence knocked down, and power outages which seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. Early this morning, we had one of those wind storms.

With the wind storm came the rain. The blew so hard and rained so heavily, I swear it was raining sideways. Flood watches were proclaimed all over the area, and the world outside my little house howled. We had lost power several times, but it managed to return after a short time. It was dark, dismal, and depressing. I took one look outside and decided to go back to bed. Then a funny thing happened....

I pulled myself out of bed later in the morning and noticed there was light pushing through the curtains. Looking into my backyard, the sun was pushing through the dark, menacing clouds - determine to make its presence known. I quickly dressed, grabbed my camera bag, and decided to drive around the area to see what sort of damage the storm had done. Water was everywhere, but the trees and air was calm. While the sky was covered in big patches of foreboding clouds, the sun swathed areas in light. There seemed to plenty of flooded areas but little damage from the wind. And while I managed to get a few good photographs before the rain started to creep back, I couldn't help but feel a slight sense of gratitude for living in this area. Where else could nature's destructiveness reinforce the beauty of nature?

Releasing My Inner Girl

2010-01-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

I don't consider myself a girlie girl because I sometimes find the processes involved to be this person tedious. Sure, I wear make up every day (and for me it's not a chore, it's just part of my routine in the morning) and I like to dress nice (and have been teased about always having to wear heels, even if just staying home) but when it comes to nails, I usually give the grooming process a miss.

It's not because I don't like nail polish, actually I do, but it’s something that inevitably becomes 'too hard' to do.

For example, you can't just go and put nail polish on any time you feel like it! You have to make sure you won't be doing ANYTHING and I do mean ANYTHING for the next twenty minutes or so. It involves ridiculous planning!
And to be clear, "anything" involves anything that requires your fingers to be moved an inch or more!

There's nothing worse than putting a fresh coat of polish on (and to do that without letting any bleed onto my fingers is hard enough for me!) then doing something (and you promise yourself you will be so so careful) and mucking your fine work up.

I can't count the amount of times I paint my nails before I go to work. I figure I'll be safe because all I'm going to do is sit and wait at the train station... but I forget about everything that's involved in getting me from painting my nails, to sitting at the train station.
I have to get my car keys out of my bag ready to use, unlock/lock the front door, unlock and open my car door, put my crap in the car and turn the ignition all without smudging my nails! Not to mention getting out of the car when I’ve reached my destination!
Yeah, you scoff but it's not as easy as you may think!

However today I was actually semi successful. There was only a little bit of bleeding after I’d applied the polish and no smudges!! I know! I couldn't believe it myself! (Don't look too closely at my photo though because you will see my mistakes!)

And as I was admiring my handiwork while waiting for the train, the sun rose over the trees, making the glossy colour I'd chosen brighter still.

Ahh, such little things make this girl happy!

Now hopefully they'll stay nice for a few days at least before the first chip occurs!

Coping Mechanism

2010-01-08T15:04:00.001-08:00

This week has been an interesting week. It has been the first time I have really truly wondered why bother with relationships - especially romantic ones. Why do people put themselves through it when, at a certain point, you are going to get crushed like a bug on the pavement?

This week I was crushed, or I should say my heart was crushed, beyond recognition. I don't even believe the best surgeons in the world will be able to mend it. Not even Dr. Who and his sonic screwdriver stand a chance against the heaping, mangled mess I have barely beating in my chest. And because of it, I have stood on the mountaintop and shouted, "No more!" "Never again!" "To hell with love!" All the while, consuming copious amounts of cupcakes (preferably chocolate) and ice cream.

The magic of those moist, spongy cupcakes - covered in whipped chocolate frosting - have been my coping mechanism. Even though I will have tears running down my face, my head is pounding from crying so much (and eating so much sugar), and my body shakes out of a desperate need to enact revenge (that and too much sugar), these little cupcakes have been my friends, my confidantes, and my solace. No one understands my plight. No one understands my pain. No one understands the level of sheer betrayal and disgust I feel. No one except these lovely little cupcakes. Yet I've devoured them with no mercy - shoving them in my mouth when my head flashes back to a memory that sears my heart.

But an interesting thing happened today. While making a new batch of cupcakes (and licking the chocolate batter off the spoon), I went over to my laptop and began to read. I was so anxious for those cupcakes to come out of the oven so I could quickly frost them and scarf until I ached in my stomach instead of my chest, I decided my best distraction would be emails and Internet.

I had been receiving supportive emails from friends near and far. But while I thanked them for their empathy, sympathy, and sisterly call for nut crushing, I was robotic about it. I didn't really feel it. My eyes scanned the words on the screen, my brain registered the meanings, and my fingers automatically typed a response but I didn't feel it. I didn't feel their love; I didn't feel their support; and, I didn't feel their "been there, felt that." It wasn't them. They all did a marvelous job expressing, sharing, and caring. It was me. My mind just couldn't go there.

However, as the smell of chocolate cake filled the house and my eyes reread those words, something interesting happened. I didn't really want a cupcake any more. I didn't want the ice cream sitting in the freezer, nor did I want to reach for that last piece of chocolate in the candy dish. All I wanted was to keep reading those messages. Hmmm... Interesting how that happens.

Before the berries slid off....

2010-01-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't be the first person to do something without thinking it through first. I can't tell you the amount of times I've gone shopping for just a few things, and end up with more than I can carry... then have to figure out how I'm going to get all my items home with me on the train!

So when I offered to make a cake for the morning tea we had at work today, I never thought about how I was going to get this cake to work undamaged!

The cake was to go towards a combined morning tea for a colleague that was leaving, and another two who had celebrated birthdays (one of those was me!)

In my haste, I iced the cake last night when it was still too warm... not the first time I've done that either! And it soon looked like a sloppy mess but I swear it tasted delicious!!!
I'm the type of person who cooks something that looks terrible but tastes good and I always thought that was better than someone who could make something look fantastic, but tasted terrible... we won't talk about those annoying people who can make it look AND taste good!

So this morning I wrapped my creation as delicately as I could and off I went to the train station. All along the way I imagined this cake falling from my hands... while I was locking the door on the way out, opening my car door, getting out of the car with handbag in one hand, cake in the other... It was a true balancing act!!! I also had the heat to contend with... I tried to find a shady spot while waiting for the train but as it was another hot 40 degree day here it was difficult finding a cool spot and I could just imagine my little berries sliding off the cake....I'd covered it up before I left home so whatever damage was done due to the heat was not revealed until I got to work...

It ended up not being too bad although as I suspected, most of the berries has fallen off the sides… But that’s ok, the people at work didn’t know what it looked like to begin with and didn’t know the difference. And I think it went over well given the fact that most of it was gone by lunch time!

The best praise a cook can have is an empty plate!

New Year... New Journal

2010-01-01T15:32:00.001-08:00

I have been keeping a journal since I was a teenager. I am not quite sure why, but I feel the need to write about what is happening in my life in all sorts of little notebooks that range from the simple spiral to perfect-bound leather creations. There isn't anything in my life nearly exciting enough to write about - never has been - but I continue to write about the day-to-day joys, angst, and other bits and pieces I experience.

Interestingly enough, 2010 is the first year where I have actually finished off a journal in the previous year and started a new one at the start of the New Year. Before, my journals crossed over the years but this year there was a clean break. A new year and a new journal. I'm not sure if that means anything significant, but I'm hoping it does. I'm hoping the symbolism behind January 1, 2010 being the first entry into the new journal means a new start... a fresh take... an imminent change. Those are the things I'm looking for from 2010. Of course, I'm looking for it in the form of positive starts, takes, and changes.

I've made no secret about my embracing the changing year... even the changing decade. Usually I bitch and moan about the new year coming far more quickly then I planned for and the changing year means I'm getting older. Not this time. My enthusiasm for the ending of 2009 and the start of 2010 is something I cannot fully describe. But one of the advantages of keeping a journal since I was a teenager is I'm able to go back and read how I felt and what I was experiencing in certain moments in time. When 2009 was coming to an end, I went back and read those journals. I read about how I felt and what I was experiencing with each new year. And while there was been a lot of ups and a lot of downs with each approaching new year, none had as much wishful promise attached to it as 2010 does for me.

However, it isn't just me. There are scores of people out there who are dreaming that 2010 will somehow be the year when things right themselves; when opportunities present and bring back the prosperity and laughter. And I'm hoping, beyond all hope, that starting a new journal right at the beginning of 2010 means I'll be able to record it all from the beginning: the good... and the bad. But I much prefer the good... and lots of it!

To A New Beginning...

2009-12-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

When my fellow Friday Blogger and I picked the day of the week we would blog on, I don't think we realised that it would mean blogging on the "big" days of Xmas and New Year.
Now that we're here, new years day, I feel like I have to say something monumental to bring in not only a new year, but new decade!
Oh the pressure!
I don't think I have it in me!

So at the risk of sounding boring I'll just mention a few goals (not New Year resolutions!) that I have for this year.

1. To finally run 21kms - a half marathon.
I was planning to do an organised event that was scheduled for April/May but as we're now planning to go overseas at that time, I won't be able to do it... HOWEVER, I will still run the distance and I'm hoping to do it very soon. I don't want to say when because I don't want to jinx it but you can be sure, every living creature will hear about it when I do!

2. To eat healthy (yawn)

3. To spend more time with family.
That's another 'stock standard' one but I think it's even more important to be there for children as they get older. They're learning so much about the world every day and forming opinions of their own. It's easy to think "oh they'll be ok" but it's right at this point that they need a parents guidance the most.
And looking the other way, my parents are getting older and having problems related to that and it makes me realise how precious few years we have on this earth and that we should cherish every moment we have with our loved ones.

4. To be happy doing things that I love to do no matter what that is.

Ok I'll stop now because my list is getting boring and really the only thing on my mind is running my half marathon!

My photo for today is significant only because it's the first photo I've taken this decade!
We went outside to countdown the New Year. I was hoping to take photos of fireworks even though I wasn't sure how they'd turn out, but instead was captivated by the eerie glow around the moon.
Is it a good omen to have a moon like that to welcome in a new year?
Might be something worth checking into but I choose to think it is!

I'm excited about this coming decade!

Christmas Cat

2009-12-25T14:08:00.001-08:00

There are two cats in my family. They are sisters, born from the same litter, though one is a tabby and one is a calico. The tabby belongs to my sister, while the calico belongs to me. They were born on May 3, 1997, and the owners of the mama cat were friends of mine who allowed us to be the first to pick out two kittens from the large litter. When my sister and I arrived early that June day, all the kittens came stumbling out of their little hiding place underneath the stairs and the tabby immediately headed toward my sister while the calico - who was the runt of the litter - went straight to me. Everyone said the calico would be the one I would pick out because she was personality plus. Though she was the runt, she was the most adventurous. She was the first kitten to explore the world outside the little home the mama cat made for her litter, and she could always be found doing things she wasn't suppose to be doing - like teasing the family dog, trying to climb on the furniture, and taking a nap on the keyboard of the family computer. There was no question she was spirited, adventures, and full of life.

Nothing has changed in all the years we have had those two cats - except the tabby is far more shy (though very protective of my little sister) and the calico has found more stuff to get into. And while they are mischievous, they are also extremely smart. Both know their names and come when we call them; they know what "no!" means; they will also let us know when they are out of food and/or water by simply coming to one of us and giving a sharp "meow!" They know what the words "off," "jump," and "out" mean. They are both extremely affectionate, demanding, and curious. They are remarkable cats.

However, a peculiar thing happens every Christmas when it comes to the calico. I don't know if she believes she is part human or simply has entitlement issues (which is more likely the case), but she actually pouts when she doesn't get a Christmas present to unwrap. When it is time for the gift giving and unwrapping, both cats are naturally curious and don't hesitate to explore. Neither of them are destructive or get in the way, but they simply walk around the room, dodging discarded wrapping paper, and watching with curious eyes. The calico, however, will the tree several times - as if she is looking for something. Once all the unwrapping is done, she will walk over to my feet, drop to the ground, roll onto her back, and give a sharp "meow!" before covering her face with her paws. She doesn't do this on birthdays or any other gift-giving occasion. Only Christmas. It's a princess-like insistence (a tantrum actually) that cracks the family up every year.

This year, my little sister received a new electric toothbrush as one of her Christmas presents so I went into the bathroom to set it up so it could charge before she would need to use it. Sure enough, the calico followed me into the bathroom and did her little tantrum. She continued to do it until I grabbed my camera and snap some photographs of her in action.

In the end, she got her Christmas present (as did the tabby): Two color cat toys courtesy of Santa. But regardless of the toys, I came to realize it just wouldn't be Christmas without her little tantrum.

A Xmas Reality

2009-12-25T01:47:00.000-08:00

Santa coming in the middle of the night,
Family gatherings, without a fight.
Eggnog and pudding, gifts that will please us,
Tinsel and holly and sweet baby Jesus.
This is how we imagine Xmas to be,
But does this happen in reality?

Last minute shopping buying things way too dear,
Credit card statements with totals to fear.
Food and more food, a bulimics’ delight,
Sugared up children scream with all their might.
This is what Xmas has turned out to be
But wait, there's more of this endless jubilee

Writing out cards, hands cramp that's for sure,
When you think that you're done, you're writing some more.
Xmas trees and decorations look nice but you frown,
Cos’ you know you alone will be taking them down.
And if you've got any out on the front lawn,
There's always the chance they'll be stolen 'fore dawn.

Mince pies all around though god knows it's a sin,
Cos’ along with Xmas pudding, they end up in the bin.
carols are fine the first time you hear one,
But over and over leaves me screaming, "I'm done"!
Paper abounds when all gifts are unwrapped ,
And you're left with the feeling, “I paid how much for that??”

Can't we bitch slap that bragging organised rellie,
Who in August was saying did her gift buying already?
Long arsed queues, cashiers ring up your gear,
Thinking all the while, "Get me out of here!"
Office parties drag, but you know that you'll go,
Cos' you too want to know who's the next office hoe.

Xmas television is tragic at best,
Can't escape awkward chats with unknown dinner guests.
But the image of Xmas, the hope of good cheer,
Is what drives us to endure (that and some beer).
These frustrations and emotions are something we share,
And we'll be right there again, this time next year.

Appreciating My Surroundings

2009-12-18T11:50:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I do not fully appreciate the beauty of the place I live until I am driving out of the area. This appreciation typically hits me when I'm on the road, driving to a client's office, and my eye catches glimpses of the kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and activity.

I live in the Pacific Northwest. To be more precise, I live in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest. In this little corner of the United States, I am surrounded by tall mountains, lush forests, lush ferns, cascading waterfalls, deep lakes, rushing rivers, and serene ocean. And often times I am reminded of those amazing elements when I'm on the road, safely tucked in my truck, and watching the world pass me by. And, more times than not, I am cursing under my breath because what I'm seeing is something I want to capture with my cameras and either I don't have the cameras on me or there is no place to pull over so I can take the shot.

Today was different, though. Today I drove south to stop at a client's office. Along the way, I saw the things that made me appreciate the beauty of this area. These were things that I've seen many times and appreciate as if I've seen them for the first time. A cold mist rolling across a lake, fog settling on the tops of dense evergreen forests, roadway carved through mini mountains, lively waterfalls cascading down the side of rocks along the highway. Only this time, I pulled over. This time I was determined to capture at least one of the images I've seen before but never managed to catch. And once I pulled out my camera, taking my time with each shot, I felt a new sense of appreciation: not only is the area beautiful, but I get to live here for this snapshot in time.

Countdown Till Xmas...

2009-12-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

I don't get it. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I just don't get the frenzy that occurs at this time of year.

Going to the local shopping centre, or any shopping mall is a nightmare!

First of all, you have to find a parking space.
I live two kilometres from mine and wonder sometimes whether I shouldn't just walk there rather than drive around the parking lot over and over again in hope that a space will open up.

What are all these people buying?
Imagine all the money that is being spent on items that will either perish (food wastage because we always get too much) or be thrown away (unwanted/unusable gifts)
What a waste!

And I don't want to be accused of not having any Xmas spirit because I can tell you the amount of fights that occur over this time by "Xmas spirit filled people" is astronomical.
Parking space fights. I'm sure you've seen those! Both parties think they saw the space first, or maybe the one who drives in knows he didn't see it first, but figures seeing as he got in first, it's his.
I've seen these situations come to blows, especially at this time of year.
Now tell me, if you were in this situation where you took a parking spot that someone else thought was theirs, would you want to leave your car there? I think there's a pretty high chance that you'd come back to a nice scratch along the side of your car...

Another place where "Xmas spirit" is displayed is in lines for the cashier. Picture this, there's eight of you in a lane, when magically, like a pool of water appearing in a hot desert, another lane opens up. The person who was second in line should get first dibs at the new lane right? Well you'd think so, but at this time of year, first person there seems to win out. Tempers can and do come out and it doesn't matter that the customers who are fighting for first position are "lovingly" buying Xmas gifts for friends and family, the ugly side of this silly season is going to rear it's head and growl loudly.

We all grumble about it. God knows I've heard enough from family and coworkers yet we all feel compelled to keep at it, year after year after year, buying useless things and contributing to the over crowding in parking lots and shopping malls.

At this time of year I try to stay away from the malls and if I do have to go, make sure it's' first thing in the morning or late at night... and I'm desperately counting down til Xmas...

What will Xmas 2009 bring me? My shopping malls back!

My-Oh-My...

2009-12-11T07:16:00.001-08:00

It's been a hectic week, and it doesn't help that we have had record-breaking cold temperatures. I am the first to admit that I am not a morning person, but this week has been all about getting up early in the morning and starting my day before the sun is even risen. And, it certainly doesn't help my indignant approach to mornings when I climb out of bed and it is far too cold to think, let alone move.

The week started off sunny and bright, but colder than a witch's... well, I'll let you finish the last part. And it seemed to get progressively colder as each day passed. However, the good citizens of Western Washington were promised a break by all the weather forecasters. It seems Friday would bring warmer temperatures. At least warm enough to function in. So when Friday arrived, I not only was able to look forward to the end of my hectic week but also the ability to feel my fingers and toes.

Friday morning arrived, and I was brutally jarred out of my bed by the harping beeps of my alarm clock. Unfortunately, while Friday was the end of my work week - it was also the day I had to get up and start my day the earliest. The day was going to be filled with a lot of travel, which meant hitting the road early. But when I threw back the stack of blankets on my bed, I quickly pulled them back on top of me. It only took a nano second for me to realize it was freezing!

I sucked it up, ran to the fireplace to start that all-important morning fire, and began my day. Soon, the activity caused my blood to warm my body and I was off and running. However, once I opened my front door I was reminded of just how cold it was outside. Thick frost on the truck window, black ice on the road, clear evidence of water pipes bursting as I drove down the road, and the tell-tale frozen water in the bottle I accidentally left in my truck from the day before.

But before I actually got onto the freeway, I drove the the small lake near my home. Armed with my camera, I was going to take advantage of the December chill and see what sort of images I could capture. Luckily for me, there was hardly anyone at the lake - which is often populated by walkers, joggers, hikers, bicyclists, and anyone else who wants to commune with nature. There was only two joggers and me. And with a clear border of ice stretch around the lake, trapping the reeds, and holding encroaching tree branches, I snapped away. The cold was forgotten, as was time, and I did what I love to do... Unfortunately, the reality of scheduled meetings, client consultations, and a variety of other demands pulled me back. The tips of my fingers were numb (as was the tip of my nose), but I climbed back into my truck to leave and all I could think was my-oh-my... how pretty!

On the way to my first half marathon

2009-12-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

It's all I've been able to think about.

Ever since I started running again a few months ago, I've toyed with the idea of running a half marathon.

Back when I was running, this had been a goal of mine but I think I tried to do too much too soon. I don't really know what happened back then but right now I feel strong enough to be able to do it and it's all I can think about!

I've not entered a race, but I've mapped out a course that is 21kms, or 13.1 miles and hope to run that in the very near future.

As it will be the first time I'm doing this distance, I'm not too concerned about my times although I hope to complete this in about two hours. Realistically it will probably be two hours, fifteen minutes or so... but that's ok... my main goal right now is just to finish!

I also want to set a relatively flat and interesting course. I think I've done that.

What I'm coming to learn is that once you have your body at a certain level of fitness, the rest comes down to mental preparation. Half the battle will be a mental one.

In a way, I think an organised event would be "easier" as I'd be with other runners and that would give me the incentive I needed if I started to get physically or mentally tired. But I'm also terrified of failing in front of others so I'm going to do this on my own... and you can bet I'm going to be bragging about it when it's done!!!

With today's photo, you're looking at a section of my proposed route which is about 500meters into my run. What will possibly be going through my mind at that stage???
And of course, looking the other way, it will be the end of my run.

I'm already so looking forward to that!!!

Magic Mug

2009-12-04T07:19:00.001-08:00

Everyone in my house right now is sick. We are dripping, coughing, aching, and grumbling messes. Cough drops and tissues are within easy reach, as are the bananas and oranges. For me, however, it is all about the lemonade.

I love lemonade. I love lemonade even more when I am sick. There is just something about lemonade that eases the ick factor just enough to make it slightly more tolerable. After a glass of lemonade, I simply feel better.

And, like an insistent, spoiled child, I have to have my lemonade in my favorite mug… It is big, bulky, and covered in skulls and crossbones. I love this mug and today it seemed especially endearing to me. I do not know if it is because the skull and crossbones seemed to summarize my mood (due to this blasted cold) or if it is because it has been an endless source of lemonade, but this mug has been my constant friend and source of solace today. If only this mug carried the cure for the common cold… But alas, I am still drippy, achy, and coughing.

Sunrise with Mel & Kochie

2009-12-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

I couldn't miss an opportunity to see the Sunrise team this morning so I got myself ready and headed for the city an hour earlier than usual.

I felt like such a nerd!

It was strange walking into the parklands, seeing all the people, lights, stands, booms for cameras and mic's and wires everywhere! It was a strange mixture of
natural (the parklands) and unnatural culminating into a huge media explosion.

I wanted to hate it but I couldn't. I love nature, but I love the thrill of cameras and personalities more!

And it's not like I really watch the show that often but I'm familiar with the personalities on it. So while I was giggling at the women following Mel around, wanting her autograph, I was busy trying to get into the best position to be able to take her photograph. I wanted to know if she looked as she did on TV. Both Mel and Kochie seemed "smaller" than they appear on TV but you hear that all the time don't you.

As I arrived, first season Australian Idol winner, Guy Sebastian, was just about to perform. Lucky me! I got into a good position and snapped some photos of him. One woman even threw (well not literally but almost) her baby at him so she could snap a picture of them together. I heard him say "I better give the baby back now" nervously and he quickly left that side of the stage... so I lost any more opportunities for good shots.

But I went around to the back of the stage and saw the big camera boom and became fascinated with that. What a great piece of equipment! I think I was made to be a part of this life, so why aren't I??? LOL. Does everyone think that? I don't mean being an upfront person, but I love all the behind the scenes things that happen at events.

So I watched and was even "told off" because I tried to go into a restricted area to get better photographs. This straight girl was almost a rebel!

It was a fun morning and worth getting in a little earlier for.
The big question is though, did anyone see me?? Was I on TV???

Finding My Mellow

2009-11-27T08:06:00.001-08:00

Yesterday’s holiday was filled with lots of food, family, and laughter. So much so it seems today was the day to have a little vacation and recover from the holiday festivities. Today was the day to be mellow. Everyone snacked on left-over turkey, veggies, and homemade bread – lounging around and wallowing in the decadence of eating, sleeping, and doing absolutely nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean absolutely nothing. No one washed dishes, did laundry, or did any cooking beyond warming up pieces of turkey. The extent of my “work” today was to answer my emails.

There are so few days in our busy, hectic lives in which we are able to do absolutely nothing. Just allowing the day to roll by without worry as to what needs to be done and what was not done is such a fantastic indulgence. I do recognize, though, it is an indulgence that can only be truly appreciated when it happens infrequently. And infrequently really is all I am able to tolerate. As a person who evaluates the success of her day by the amount of items I am able to tick off my “To Do” list, I have a difficult time with mellow days.

But what really made this mellow day shine was spending another day with family. It was not one of those years where we ate, drank, was merry, and then went our separate ways until the next holiday. Rather, we were able to spend a second day together – eating, drinking, sleeping, and even watching a few videos. We laughed, played poker (well, at least tried to teach my mum how to play poker), and never managed to change out of our pajamas and bathrobes. While it was freezing outside, the fireplace roared inside and we did not even notice the day slip into night.

I managed to do what I so infrequently manage to do… find my mellow. And it looked something like this sunset I managed to capture in - what else - my pajamas.

Love, Friends and Companionship

2009-11-27T00:39:00.000-08:00

We don’t have thanksgiving here in Australia and I always thought it was such a shame that we didn’t, because there’s such value in stopping what you’re doing and spending time with family and loved ones.

How easy is it to get caught up in the business of your life?
We’ve all been guilty of taking someone or others for granted. How nice to be able to come together and just appreciate each other and be truly thankful for the good things in your life.

As I write this, it’s thanksgiving night in America and I imagine that my fellow blogger and her country people are all enjoying good company, love and lots of good food! It makes me wish I could scoot off over there and join them for some turkey! And I don’t even eat meat!
I’m not so naïve to think that tempers, jealousies and insecurities won’t raise their ugly heads on this day… I’m sure they do!

But that’s life isn’t it?
That’s what makes us human.

It’s what we do with the temper, jealousy and insecurity that matters
So while we don’t have thanksgiving, I am lucky enough to belong to a family that lies to be together and a few of us gathered at my parents’ house tonight.

Mum made pizza (Good Italian pizza!!) and coupled with good company, a good night ensued!
It wasn’t thanksgiving but it was a reminder of how much I value and am thankful for the most important things in life.

Love, friends and companionship.

Wellies

2009-11-20T06:39:00.001-08:00

It is definitely the weather to be wearing wellies in. All this week we have had massive storms bringing in lots of wind and rain. There has even been some hail and snow. And all of this has resulted in power outages, downed trees, and conspicuous flooding. Even where it doesn’t look like there is over saturation, there is – which makes the wellies so glorious.

Today wellies became part of the daily uniform. I went out to snap some photographs of what the storm did to the area, and it would not have been possible to get to some of the areas I needed to get to without my glorious wellies. I even dragged my sister along with me and, of course, she wore her own glorious wellies. The only thing I didn’t like was the attention her pink and black flower wellies and my blue and green polka-dot wellies was getting from everyone who saw us. People were pointing and whispering, while others even inquired about where we got our wellies. And when I took some family photographs of friends and their kids – the kids became focused on counting the dots on my wellies and demanding their parents take them to buy wellies of their own.

I ended the day happily dry. My wellies sit by the door, beckoning me to put them on and go outside to explore once again, but it will have to wait until another day. Another storm is due to hit the area.

And the earth cooled....

2009-11-19T16:37:00.001-08:00

You could almost hear the land breathing a sigh of relief as the cool change came through overnight.

As I walked outside this morning, to experience the cool breeze, I imagined feeling the steam rising up from the still hot ground. So nice to feel comfortable again.

I looked at my plants and felt a tinge of guilt. Those poor things are so neglected. I gave them a little drink, hoping they'd forgive me and keep growing despite my neglect. Were they also shouting out in glee, not having to combat the sun's hot rays?

Yesterday I'd commented that it felt like I was in a fan forced oven! Not only was it HOT (43 degrees celsius) but the heat was accompanied by a gushing, hot, notherly wind.It was not pleasant at all!

But that was yesterday.

Today it's milder. Almost makes yesterday seem a dream.

These roses are my favourite and I thought they looked so pretty this morning, especially against a cloud filled sky.

It's still hard to believe that we're experiencing such extremes when Summer hasn't even started yet!

Opreating System Relief

2009-11-13T05:01:00.001-08:00

Today I received Windows 7. The moment the box arrived at my front door, a sense of relief fell upon my shoulders. See, I have been working on the Vista operating system for the past 7 to 8 months and it has been nothing more than one frustration after another. My experience with this system has been a series of continuous problems that result in me regularly being kicked off the internet by my own system, error messages, clogged operations, and stunted productivity. This is particularly frustrating for me because what I do for a living is heavily dependent on my laptop... I not only do consulting work but I am also adjunct for several online universities. And nothing gets a person more angry then when they are in the middle of a virtual conversation with a student, explaining a specific concept that will help them with their major research project, and the screen suddenly goes pale and a little window pops up stating the program is no longer responding and has to shut down.

Microsoft should be ashamed they produced and released such a half-assed product. People should not have to pay for the Windows 7 upgrade. Microsoft should be handing out Windows 7 for free as an apology to all their customers. I was actually holding off having to buy Windows 7, but Vista made getting tasks done in an effective and efficient manner so completely impossible that I had no choice but to pony-up the money to buy the upgrade. Ironically, when I bought my laptop last year I had heard grumblings about Vista and attempted to buy my laptop with the XP operating system only, but the manufacturer wouldn't allow it at the time. Bastards!

So tomorrow will be spent installing this upgrade and hoping it will ease the problems I have suffered through with this blasted system. And while I wanted to shut everything down and start installing Windows 7 immediately, I am going to wait until tomorrow morning… Vista’s death by Win 7 warrants an all-day celebration. Wa-hooo!

Sweltering, Sweating and Swearing

2009-11-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

It seems we've reached the "three S" stage already...

Without doubt, there is a lot of Sweltering, Sweating and Swearing going on around here.

Adelaide is experiencing an unseasonal heatwave. In fact, this is the first time that we have had five or more days above 35 degrees in November (the technical definition of a heatwave is five or more days above 35 degrees).

Before this time, our longest hot streak for November was four days in 1894!!

It's not even Summer yet!

The temperature has been

Sat 07th Nov - 34.4 degrees Celsius

Sun 08th Nov - 36.7 degrees Celsius

Mon 09th Nov - 37.0 degrees Celsius

Tue 10th Nov - 38.9 degrees Celsius

Wed 11th Nov - 39.2 degrees Celsius

Thu 12th Nov - 39 degrees Celsius

And the forecast for the next few days is...

Fri 13th (today) 39
Sat 14th Nov - 39 degrees Celsius

Sun 15th Nov - 40 degrees Celsius

Mon 16th Nov - 28 degrees Celsius (yay! Relief!)

Tue 17th Nov - 30 degrees Celsius

Wed 18th Nov - 36 degrees Celsius (Oh no, it's back!!!)

Thu 19th Nov - 38 degrees Celsius

It's a little daunting to think about. My way of coping is actually to not think about it. Stressing over the weather isn't going to change things one bit!

We did have to make a change to our plans though. On Sunday, we had planned a big family bbq. There were going to be over twenty people at our place but as soon as we saw that weather forecast, we knew it would be best to cancel.

I'm sure our guests felt a measure of relief too.

There's nothing much else to do except hang out at air conditioned places like shopping malls and cinemas and they end up getting over crowded at times like this.

The streets tend to get completely deserted, as depicted by the photo I took today of a usually very busy city street!

And just so the non metric can appreciate these temperatures, here's a little conversion chart..
35 degree Celsius = 95 degree Fahrenheit

36 degree Celsius = 96.8 degree Fahrenheit

37 degree Celsius = 98.6 degree Fahrenheit

38 degree Celsius = 100.4 degree Fahrenheit

39 degree Celsius = 102.2 degree Fahrenheit

40 degree Celsius = 104 degree Fahrenheit

I just hope this means all the extreme weather is over with and Summer will be relatively moderate... well I can dream can't I?

Time for another glass of water!

Baby, You've Come a Long Way...

2009-11-06T06:27:00.001-08:00

I hate my mobile phone. I hate having a mobile phone. I rarely have it turned on – which annoys not only my family and friends, but clients – simply because I don’t really like the idea of being reachable when I’m away from the office or home. Because I detest my phone – any phone, for that matter – I wanted to get the most basic model. However, I did want a camera on the phone in case of emergency. What I ended up with was a mobile phone that has camera and video, a music player, internet, etc. The reason why I ended up with a higher-end mobile phone was because my boyfriend had talked me into it… he got the same mobile but just in a different color.

As I said, I don’t turn on my mobile phone often; however, today I turned it on and decided to go through it – cleaning out obsolete contacts, deleting old voice mails, etc. What I found was something totally unexpected. While looking through my saved photos, I found a video I had made when I first received the mobile phone. It was a video of my little sister when she was still recovering from neurosurgery.

The video was only 2-3 minutes long, but it spoke to me. The profoundness of just how far my sister has come in her recovery was shockingly evident in those 2-3 minutes of her. It captured how she was and where she’s gone, a stark difference dulled by time. I watched that video over and over… at least 7 times. I’m truly impressed by my sister. Her fight to regain who she was before the surgery has been long and difficult. Though she isn’t fully there yet, she is close and continues to move closer every day. And that short, yet impactful video makes me grateful I bought the higher end mobile phone, though I doubt I’ll be turning it on any more than usual.

A time to remember

2009-11-06T02:37:00.000-08:00

Fourteen years ago, this was a very interesting time of year.

I had just celebrated my daughter Sarah's first birthday while being heavily pregnant with baby number two!

A few days later, Josh was born.

My babies were 12 months and one week apart.

Over the years, I was often asked if they were twins as they looked similar in stature and I haven't been a mum of twins but I'd say I lived a similar experience!

Both in nappies, both needing attention, both needing afternoon naps... it was a challenging time!

But it was such a nice time too. Lots of giggles and silliness. Not having a car during the day meant we often took long walks to the shops and learnt little things along the way. We stopped to look at numbers on the letterboxes, we took notice of the different coloured flowers, we ran to get out of the rain!

I even remember one time when they were about 2 and 14 months, running down the street to get home quickly with my double pram because they were both crying!

Challenging indeed.

And through the years it's just been easier to have a combined birthday celebration. While you may think this takes away from their birthday, I think it actually gives them more time. Their birthday celebration tends to last the week starting from Sarah's birthday, our combined celebration bbq (now a tradition) and ending with Josh's birthday. It's a festive week!

I'm so proud of what they are and are still becoming. Smart, sensitive and very loving.

So indulge me as I gush over my children a little at this time of year. I think I'm entitled.

Thoughts of Goblins, Ghouls, and Ghosts

2009-10-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Halloween, but this year the holiday seems to have an eve-type celebration. I am not sure if it is because Halloween falls on a Saturday or people cannot wait to start celebrating, but today everyone seemed to be celebrating the holiday early. Little kids were running around with their costumes on, while adults wore their own costumes to the office.

When visiting clients, I noticed clients had shopping bags tucked in the corner with last-minute purchases of candy, costume pieces, and decorations. Potlucks of all sorts – primarily cookies and sugary goodies – filled corner tables in break rooms and cafeterias, while laughter filled the hallways with employees lavishing praise on their co-workers’ costumes. The good vibes were felt by all – including me, who was not wearing a costume.

However, when I came home I went into my closet and pulled out my favorite costume. It is a costume I will never get rid of because I love it so much. It is a costume that could be for a witch, queen, or sorceress. It could be for a Renaissance woman or a lady straight out of Lord of the Rings. Made of velvet and silk with orange, gold, and black colors, the costume laces up at the bodice and sleeves with black ribbons. It is beautiful, comfortable, and flexible. Even better, it is long enough for my 5-foot-11 height. When wearing it, it makes me feel young, beautiful, and feminine.

And while I did not put the costume on, the rest of the day my mind kept drifting back to the costume sitting in my closet and I grew even more anxious for the holiday to arrive. After all, the world is so much more fun and adventurous with an evil queen in dressed in black velvet and orange and gold silk.

Friday and lovin' it!

2009-10-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

I love Friday's.

There's always so much to look forward to!

There’s a whole weekend about to happen, where I can do whatever I want, away from the frustrations of customers and office politics.

Even the office seems just that bit louder as workers talk about their weekend plans. You can sense the change in the atmosphere as the excitement grows. Another reason why it’s just that bit nicer here at work is that it’s usually a little slower on a Friday so fun, silly activities are scheduled. Friday is definitely the best day of the week to be at work!

Today is even better because it's warm!!!
Some would even say hot!
As I write this at 1pm, it's 33 degrees Celsius!

This lunchtime I relished being out in the sun after spending the morning - despite the ‘fun, frivolous’ activities - in my cold dark office. I didn't want to go back in!

People were walking, window shopping or just hanging around waiting for their friends all the way through the mall in summer clothes. For better or worse, buskers were entertaining the crowds with their various acts which always happen to end in a guilt inducing plea to donate to their act. They make you feel like your money is the only thing that will ensure their very livelihood!

It was such a nice feeling. I wish it could stay this warm every day! Everyone seems to be happier. It just seems more festive!Although speaking of festive, I have to say, that I got a little annoyed when I heard xmas music coming from one of the mall speakers.
Xmas music? Really? Already???

But even that couldn’t spoil my mood too much and now I’m back in the office but I’ve only got a few more hours to go before I can bask in the glorious sunshine once again!

The Call of Food

2009-10-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

There are some foods that call out to be consumed on certain days and in certain circumstances. For example, chocolate and/or ice cream after a break-out or mashed potatoes after an emotionally stressful day. Today’s Friday called out for Mum’s stew and fresh bread.

With the cold wind causing everything around to sway while the rain pummeled the earth with enormous droplets, everyone seemed bundled against the autumn weather. I, however, spent most of my time in bed – trying to fight off and recover from this illness that has invaded my body and refuses to let go. And part of today’s recovery was Mum’s stew and fresh bread.

There are few things which bring as much comfort to me when I sick as burying myself under a mountain of blankets and waking to the smell of Mum’s stew wafting in from the kitchen. And only minutes before she’s ready to serve the stew, she opens the stove to pull out the steaming hot bread. And because I’m sick, she brings me the food so I can stay in bed. With a pile of pillows propping me up, I settled in for the feast while the rain pounded against my bedroom window. And as my stomach was warmed by the warm stew and I scraped the excess margarine off my bread (Mum always puts it on too thick), I could not help but think of those cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.

Ahhhh... now that almost makes suffering with this virus worth it.

Waiting to sweat

2009-10-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

As I wrote in my last blog post, I've been having a bit of an exercise explosion.
This week I ran a total of 22.5kms and was feeling quite good about myself until I noticed a little tickle developing in my throat.
"I'm not sick! I don't get sick!" I protested but sure enough, the bug developed enough to make me be a pain to everyone.
"I'm sick, I'm sick" I said at every opportunity, to whoever was in earshot, and I ended up going to the doctor who gave me a few days off work to help get rid of this virus.

I think what annoyed me most of all was that I wasn't able to exercise! The days I've been home from work weren't my usual running days anyhow but as I was home, I saw Deno leave the house to go bike riding and I was insanely jealous!

Sure, I could have hopped onto the treadmill to do my thing but my theory is, it would just delay the normal healing process my body is going through, so why take the chance?
Besides, like I said earlier, they weren't normal running days for me...

So instead I watched Deno get hot and sweaty.

He doesn't like to ride the big hills back to our house so being the good little wifey that I am, I consent to pick him up by car at the beach which is a kilometre or two from our house.

And for any little kiddies who may be reading this blog, Deno does normally wear a helmet, he just took it off for the photo! Most of the times he's a very law abiding man!

And I'm crossing my fingers for tomorrow... it's a scheduled running day and I sure hope this bug will be almost gone because I don't want to miss it!

Stand Up, Speak Out

2009-10-16T03:41:00.001-07:00

While my photograph for today's Friday is of storm clouds and full-on autumn weather, my blog entry is not. The photograph definitely captures today's weather and, I suppose, the drama that I experienced today. No, my blog's entry is about an situation I found myself in while running errands with the family.

Waiting in line at the self-service check out, I was tired and annoyed. The store was packed but not all the check out lines were open. In fact, over half were not. Customers were lined up 6-8 deep and becoming grumpier by the millisecond. We were lucky because we were #3 in line. Going through the check out was a disabled woman, while another woman - I'd say in her early-to-mid 60s - stood second in line.

The disabled woman did not appear to have the tell-tale characteristics of someone with a particular condition (i.e. Downs Syndrome), but it was obvious to me and Mum that she was developmentally disabled (DD). Perhaps it is because of the years of experience Mum and I have with the DD population or the fact the woman was childlike in nature, had a "helper" with her, was having a difficult time swiping her card through the credit card machine, or whatever the indicator, it was obvious she was DD. And it was even more apparent she had never gone through the self-service line before. However, her helper was patiently guiding her through the process. She was slow - much slower than others in the other self service lines - but she was getting there. Unfortunately the second woman in line thought otherwise.

The entire time the DD woman was going through the line, the second woman was making snarky comments. She kept rushing them along, telling them if they can't manage the self service aspect of the line they should have gone to a cashier. Her behavior was completely unacceptable. It was all I could do not to reach over and throttle the woman, especially because I could see her comments were having a stressful effect on the DD woman. Her helper said nothing but glared at the second woman in line the entire time.

Finally, I had enough. I stepped up and bared my teeth. "Do you realize just how rude you're being?" I asked her - my mum trying to calm me down the entire time. The second woman in line said nothing but just stared at me. "Do you realize how inappropriate you are being right now? Leave her alone, and let her do her shopping. If you cannot handle that, I suggest you get into a different line." The more I spoke, the angrier I got.

The woman stammered over her words while I glared down at her, my hands on my hips, waiting for her response. I can be intimidating when I want to (and apparently when I don't want to), and this was the time I really wanted to. While I stood there waiting, I noticed the DD woman and her helper had finished paying and were leaving, while a cashier had already directed Mum and our shopping cart to her line for quick service. The second woman in line said nothing back to me, but went about scanning her items.

When I turned to join the family as our new check out, I noticed at least 20 smiles surrounding me. Several men even gave me a thumb's up. I didn't smile back nor did I acknowledged their signs of approval. I was simply too pissed off. But as I waited for the woman to tell me the total so I could pay, I realized that while I was pissed off at the snarky woman who ridiculed the DD woman, I was angrier at all those people who noticed what I noticed but did nothing. They ignored it. They implemented the classic "mind your own business" tactic which I believe has become a major excuse and world-wide catastrophe for humanity. When did this tactic become okay? I have always thought that silence is a form of condoning. So, for me, all those people who stood there silently were condoning the snarky woman's behavior.

As we left the store, the helper of the DD woman ran up to me and quickly thanked me for what I had done. I noticed the DD woman sitting in the passenger side of their car, shyly watching me from the protective confines of her seat. Even though it was raining, I could tell she had been crying. I nodded my head because I couldn't speak, and turned to head toward my car. If I had spoken, I probably would have shouted such a string of profanity about the people inside the store, about the snarky woman, and about the helper for not interceding with the snarky woman, that a bolt of lightning would have shot down from the heaven's and killed me on the spot.

But something quite miraculous happened. As I loaded the packages into my vehicle, I caught a glimpse of my sister - who is DD. She had a big smile on her face and was just staring at me. When I asked her what was up, she told me I "did good." That little statement alone managed to wash away my disdain for those people who said nothing and the snarky woman who said too much. Amazing how that happens.

Dreaming of my white picket fence.

2009-10-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time it seemed that life would be perfect if you lived in a house with a white picket fence.

Even now the white picket fence image evokes a sense of peace and tranquility where families are joyful; Where people wake up with fresh breath every morning and run into a sparkling kitchen filled with the delicious aroma of fresh, calorie free, home baked bread.

Laughter and good conversation ensue while sipping rich, creamy coffe, watching the children eating their non sugar cereal with good old fashioned whole milk while the morning sun streams through open windows.

We all know that real life can be very different but still we hold on to the romanticism of the idea of the white picket fence.
It's the Brady Bunch phenomena where somewhere out there, the perfect family really does exit.
I guess there's no harm in striving for it, but it's a fallacy to think that everyone else is living this dream.

Real life tends to get in the way.

Besides, who really wants perfection? What do you aim for if you have everything you could ever want?
A bit of non serious drama never hurt anybody and it makes for interesting conversation!

I love the idea of the white picket fence but even more, I love that it is an idea and not my real life.

Passenger in Life

2009-10-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes there are days when you just feel like a passenger in life... As if you have no control, no say in what happens around you or to you. For me, there are no days that instill that feeling better than days when I'm sick. When I am ill, I feel like everything is in slow-motion and control is a word not in my vocabulary.

Today I am an achy, drippy mess. I awoke with a monster sore throat and dripping nose. I don't know if it is the changing season, freezing night-time temperatures, or that I wasn't obsessive enough with my hand washing, but I am teetering on the edge of a full-blown cold. Not only does the scratchy throat, aching body, and inability to keep my nose clear make me want to just crawl into bed and stay under the covers until I can actually breathe again, but it gives me the feeling that life is not controlled by my will and actions but by whatever virus has captured my body and is holding it prisoner.

Instead of spending the day basking in the glory of the autumn colors, enjoying the wonders of a ketchy Bavarian village, and sampling all that Oktoberfest has to offer, I was stuck languishing in the driver's seat of my truck as I chauffeured my mum around town so she could take care of her list of errands. I became the female version of those men you always see sitting in their cars, reading as they wait for their wives to take care of whatever business they need to take care of. My pointy elbow's reflection was a constant sight in the driver's side mirror, as I impatiently wait for Mum to finish her tasks so I could eventually go home and die from the inability to swallow without wincing or drowning in my own snot. And while I drove, I felt like the passenger: Mum telling me where to go, while my cold told me how to feel.

At the end of the errands list, I silently thanked the world (because it hurt too much to thank it out loud) for the mercy of my Egyptian cotton sheets and fresh box of tissues. Maybe tomorrow this blasted virus will let me drive.

I think I can, I think I can...

2009-10-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

I guess if I've been doing something for four weeks, I can now consider it a new habit.

I was always a runner but due to different circumstances, didn't do much running at all over the last two years. Wanting to put my laziness behind me, and trying to bring about a few more positive changes, I decided to get back into running.

The first few weeks were VERY hard going! Not to say that it's easy now, but now I have four weeks of experience behind me. I have no excuse to stop. I've successfully done it the previous day/week, so there's no excuse for me to not complete my run today.

As I run along thinking I just want to stop, the little red engine song “I think I can, I think I can” keeps going through my head! If he can do it, so can I! I love the satisfaction that comes along with knowing I ran my set goal.

Currently, I've set myself a 4.5kms course (Just under 3 miles for you non metrics!). I don't want to make my goals too big in case they overwhelm me and I stop doing it. I'm going to stay on my course of 4.5kms for a while; at least until I no longer find it challenging!

As you may be able to see from the photo, from my position on the treadmill I have a beautiful view of the ocean (to my right). What you can't see is that I have a view of the television (essential!) to my left. There's nothing like the distraction of TV to take you through a particularly challenging workout!

While I love my treadmill, I miss running out there in nature and living so close to the beach, I'm pretty spoiled with regards to running trails/tracks. It's been so long since I've been outdoors though that I'm not sure I'm ready to leave the security and anonymity of my indoor treadmill but I’ll take one step at a time!

The Rains Have Come...

2009-10-03T00:43:00.000-07:00

We have rain! It has been a hot and dry summer. Record-breaking heat and dryness. But yesterday the rain arrived, and it arrived in a big way. The temperatures dropped to a cold that chilled to the bone and the damp crept under your skill to make you shiver. Yet, there were no complaints. We needed the rain, and its return was a relief to many – including me. However, the timing was horrible.

My bed had arrived and was ready for me to pick up at the store, but it meant a 45 minute drive south – in the wind and rain. By the time I returned home with my new bed, the mattress would be soaked. So, we pushed the day for pick-up to this weekend. However, today would have been perfect and I kick myself for not heading down there while there was a break in the clouds.

While today started with the same dark gloom that consumed yesterday in chilling rain, the clouds soon separated to reveal blue skies and dryer weather. My plans for the day were already packed with tasks, but I had a nagging voice in the back of my head – urging me to make that drive and get my bed. But I did not, and the weather forecast is shouting “Back to the rain!” for the weekend. I have great hopes it will not – at least tomorrow. I am hoping these clouds will continue to hold back and allow me to get my new bed and bring it safely home. And that is what I kept telling that little voice all day today.

Tall structures for tall dreams

2009-10-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

There seems to be quite a bit of construction going on in the city and I always wonder who's moving into these places because there is always such an abundance of office space!
We can't seem to build enough empty office buildings!

When I get out of the train station in the mornings, I pass by one of these construction sites.
The work there seems to have been going on for ages and the congestion around the side streets is a little annoying at times but it has been interesting, seeing it slowly come together.

Has anyone ever worked out why we never see workmen actually doing any work?
How do these buildings get built when for the most part, we see the workers standing around looking up or leaning on their shovels or taking a smoko break?

This particular site has a large, majestic looking crane. I can't help but look up every time I walk past.
I'd love to see the view from there! Is it windy?
Does it move or feel stable?
How long is this concrete bird going to pollute the vision of the sky?

Pretty soon it will be gone and another building fighting for tenants will take it's place.
I'll be looking forward to that day!

Happy Birthday to Me...

2009-09-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. I hate birthdays. Why? Because I hate being reminded that I am getting old.

I have never liked birthdays. I vividly remember when I was 7 years old and Mum threw me a birthday party. I thought it would be so much fun to have all my friends at the house, eating cake and ice cream, and me receiving many presents. However, in the end I was bored and annoyed, and I begged Mum to never throw me a birthday party again. It wasn’t her party planning skills that turned me off, but the other annoying 6 and 7-year-olds and the constant reminders that I’m older. When I turned 13, I cried my eyes out because I was now a teenager, while 20 brought even more tears because I was no longer a teenager. The age of 21 brought on a deep depression, and 25 resulted in a mid-life crisis. Since 25, I have spent every birthday crying, in bed, in mourning, and drowning my sorrows with either ice cream or white chocolate raspberry cheesecake (the only cheesecake in the universe that I like). Well, every year except 2006 and 2007, where I spent it in England and had little time for crying, bed, and ice cream. And this year was only slightly different than the others.

This year was bed, ice cream, and movies instead of tears. With a stack of DVDs and pints of ice cream, my sister and I snuggled into my bed and allowed the hours to be lost in action/adventures and comedies. Occasionally we would fall asleep and nap for 30 minutes to an hour, but then we would wake up again, pop a new DVD in, maybe eat some scrambled eggs (because that is all the energy I had to cook), and be lost again.

Some people may not consider this an exciting and fun way to spend a birthday, but that is okay. I enjoyed it, my sister enjoyed it, and for a brief while there… I forgot it was my birthday.

Through good times and bad...

2009-09-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

I think I've found a new best friend; one who I know I can trust implicitly! And one who will never tire of my endless boring stories... until her pages run out that is!!

Through circumstances that were unpleasant at best, I’ve had to come up with a new way to write the little thoughts that come into my head while I'm at work.
Previously, I used to just write them into an email to myself so I could update my blog later when I was home. That option has now been taken away from me.

So, not one to accept defeat (I must write!) I went out and purchased this cute little hard cover notebook.It's only a few days old but already many pages are filled!!

I think I will really enjoy using this!

And having the notepad with me at every moment I'll be able to jot thoughts down whether I'm near a computer or not!

Brilliant!

She was prettier when I bought her. The slender green ribbon had some fluffy things on the end of it but unfortunately, in my exuberance, I pulled them off... never mind... I

think I like her more because she's flawed.

Now all I need is a name for this new best friend of mine.

I'm open to suggestions!

No Place Like Home

2009-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

For me, there is no place like home. I don't mean what town or city you live in, or whether you live in an apartment or house, or even rent or own where you live. What I mean is the feeling you get when you are in your comfort zone. The place where you feel settled, comfortable, and at ease.

There are all sorts of elements which contribute to those feelings... sights, smells, sounds. I always feel the most settled, comfortable, and at ease when I have my family around me. It doesn't matter if we're in a hotel room in some strange city or driving on the interstate to some unknown destination, as long as my family is with me - I'm home. However, there are certain smells that can immediately invoke a sense of home for me.

Today, I came home from a few meetings to be embraced by that comforting smell of home. What was it? Baking. Wherever there is baking going on, I immediately begin to think of my grandmum - who passed away a few years ago - and my mum. Both of those women evoke that sense of comfort in me, and since they both like to bake - I associate baking with them and them with home.

But today my mum had over-taken the kitchen and was baking up a storm. Breads, cookies, and cakes were stacked high, as she created tower after tower of cooling racks for her concoctions. Regular wheat bread, dinner rolls, blueberry bread, German apple cake, banana bread, oatmeal raisin cookies... the list goes on and on. What was the reason for this baking frenzy? She wanted to "get ahead" and bake up goodies to freeze for the winter, plus she was planning to send off a few goodie boxes (Yes, Dougie... she's sending one your way). However, I couldn't help but zero-in on the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies Mum was making for me. She makes them the healthy way - well, as healthy as you can make cookies - and I adore them. I especially adore that she makes them bite-size just for me. I'm not a big fan of sweets, so a couple of cookies is just enough.

So with cookie in hand, I cannot help but think Dorothy did have it right. There really is no place like home.

Free As A Bird

2009-09-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't want to be a bird?

My second super power of choice would be having the ability to fly (the first being invisibility of course!)

We have so many of these colourful parrots around our place. We've even had their nests in our roof! Their natural beauty forces you to stop and admire and I just envy their freedom.

Look at this pretty little bird I caught this morning dancing around in the warm sunlight.

With the weight of mundaneness of every day life I was going through my day when I spotted this little guy. I could have kept walking, getting on with everything I had to do but instead I chose to stop and watch him as he danced from leaf to leaf and hope that some of his careless playfulness rubs off on me.

Fly little birdie. Fly and be free. Just becase you can

Shopping Friday

2009-09-12T05:45:00.000-07:00

I hate the mall. I do not like anything about the mall. I do not like the car park, the stores, the people, nor do I really like the “sales” advertised at mall stores. I would rather spend my time doing something else than go to the mall. So, it should come to no surprise that today, when my mum decided she wanted to go to the mall, I cringed. I protested, especially since I had plans to do something else – something I actually enjoy. But, I relented and the family headed toward Seattle to one of the larger malls in the area – Alderwood Mall.

When we arrived at the mall, I encountered all the things I do not like about the mall. There was the car park – where there was plenty of parking but the soda machine took one of my quarters – and then there were the stores – with their narrow aisles and over-crowded displays, plus my preferred colors and sizes were not in stock. Of course, people were everywhere – most inconsiderately standing in the middle of the aisle and refusing to move for others who wanted to pass – while the “sales” were disappointing and mooted by extensive conditions/exclusions.

However, when I left the mall and returned to the car park where my truck was waiting, I felt the slight rush of exhilaration after spending a lot of money and being loaded down with packages. Of course, it helped that it was not my money that bought those packages. Thanks, Dougie!

Tick, Tock...

2009-09-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

I always loved this clock growing up. It sat in our lounge room and although the pendulum gave a constant sound, it just wasn't annoying to me. It was strangely comforting.

This clock had originally been acquired by my father.

My mother was in two minds about it but tolerated it.

Her patience didn't last long though as the clock began to not keep time as it should so she threatened to get rid of it.

My dad loved it and wouldn't hear of that!

Eventually a 'compromise' was reached and it was stored in the garage with other bits and pieces.

Years down the track I discovered it during a routine clear out and my mother gladly let me have it, happy to have it off her hands!

It still doesn't keep time.

We could probably get it fixed but I just like the look of it... and sometimes I let the pendulum swing just to hear that tick, tick, tick...

My father is terribly ill now and there's not much I can do to change that, but every time I see the clock, I remember how much he loved it and am happy to be able to cherish it just as he did.

Approaching Season

2009-09-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Today I stepped outside of my house and suddenly, as if it happened over-night by magic, I noticed the peculiar signs of the season's changing from summer to autumn. The air was definitely cooler (though not cool enough for my tastes) and there were amazing bursts of color here and there.

I admit, I love autumn. It is my favorite time of the year. Even when I was a kid, I loved autumn - though it meant the start of school and end of my summer vacation. Autumn brings with it a host of wonderful things - cool and crisp temperatures, flashy streaks of color, and a unique coziness I do not feel with any other season. I don't know if it is because of the food that comes with the season (apple pie, turkey, warm bread, etc.) or the clothes (sweaters, jeans, and boots), but for me there is no other time of the year that means family more than autumn.

We still have a few weeks to go before the calendar marks the official start of autumn, but it cannot be soon enough for me. Bring on the cool! Bring on the color! Bring on the turkey and fresh-baked bread! I'm ready.

GO CROWS!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-09-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

AFL Footy Finals have started. That is, they start tonight!

And the team I barrack for, the Adelaide Crows, are playing in one of the Elimination Finals. There are only two footy teams in my city and the Crows have a huge following.

The city is abuzz!!!

I'm so nervous though! I'll be thinking about it all day! The papers and sports commentators are full of praise for the Crows and expect them to have an easy victory tonight.

I HATE that!

Even though my Crows are saying they're taking it seriously and won't be thinking of it as an easy game, you know that they probably are, and I'd hate for them to let down their guard thinking they have an easy game and then they lose!!
If they lose, it's going to ruin my whole weekend!!!

They can't lose!!!

Oh, and isn't the sign funny!!

Quiet Please??

As if!!!

When the game is on, everyone in the street can hear us!!

"Do Not Disturb" is only valid if you're not interested in AFL! (As if that's possible)

So, GO CROWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't ruin my weekend.... please!!!

Mega Friday

2009-08-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

I don't normally buy lottery tickets. Money is tight enough as it is without gambling it away. However, today I approached buying a lottery ticket a little differently.

Today's Mega Millions lottery is at $333 million dollars. A single winner will receive $210,400,000, if they elect the pay-out (which I recommend considering some states are now declaring bankruptcy because of budget crisis after budget crisis). After taxes, a person will walk away with roughly $120 million in their bank account. A person can do a lot with $120 million, and that is why I bought a ticket.

Yes, I realize the odds of me winning is 1 in 75 million, but I think what I'm really buying is the chance to dream. A ticket purchase, especially one of this size, buys a small slice of hope and with that hope comes the opportunity to dream of what could be done with all that money. I spent a good portion of today thinking about what I could do for my family, for my friends, and for charities that I support. I thought about how I can expand my business, hire people, and contribute more to the community. The possibilities I dreamed up were as big as the jackpot. And that is why I bought a ticket. With no ticket, there is no chance of winning. With a ticket, I have a chance. And with a chance, there are possibilities. So, I bought myself a day of possibilities and have a suitable to-do list to match that lottery payout.

Kum Ba Yah & Marshmallows...

2009-08-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when you think of wood?

I think there's something deliciously masculine about wood.

It's the big burly man chopping up wood to use as fuel for the fire that's going to warm his family or the beefy workers, moving heavy trunks to be used in various industries...

There's also the comforting aspect of wood. Sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows while the wood crackles under the fire's power; warmth, fun company and food. What more could you want??

Before it’s cut, wood, or tree trunks, can support magnificent displays of nature which can overwhelm our senses.

The pieces of wood in my photo were from a couple of trees that were recently cut down on our property's border. We’re planning to have a little bonfire in the backyard. I may be a little naive in thinking we're going to have our own family "Kum Ba Yah” moment but I'm still looking forward to it... and hoping like hell that it's actually not illegal to make a small fire in the backyard!

The Telephone

2009-08-21T13:55:00.001-07:00

One of the quirky things about me is I do not like talking on the phone. In fact, I hate it. I am always the last to answer the phone and the first to hang up. My conversations are typically brief, almost abrupt, and it is a safe bet that I'm doing something else while talking to you on the phone.

My mum thought this was a great quality when I was younger. As a teenager, I wasn't your typical girl. No endless gabbing with my friends; no difficulty freeing up the line; and, no concerns about passing out my phone number. I, in fact, have always been quite protective of my phone number. So much so that, as an adult, I have it unlisted and always give out a fake phone number when I sign up for contests and other data collecting venues. But, when I went off to university, my mum quickly came to resent my little quirk as she missed her oldest daughter, and she was desperate to hear what was going on in my life while pursuing my education. Even today, my grandmum hates that I rarely call and often complains that my calls only come once-a-month - if that.

With the introduction of cell phones, I became even more resistant to the telephone. I was one of the last people to get a cell phone, and it only came about because one day my mum's vehicle broke down and she had no way to contact me for help. In fact, she had no way to contact anyone for help. So I immediately went and purchase a plan and two cell phones - one for her and one for me. That was around 10 years ago, and our usage rates (combined) rarely reach more than 10 minutes per month. In fact, a popular complaint from my friends is that my cell phone is never on. Of course it is never on! I don't want people contacting me.

So it was quite the irritation when I had to spend nearly 6 hours on the phone today. Yes, 6 hours. I'm not talking 10 minutes here, 5 minutes there. I'm talking an hour here, two hours there. It started with a client consultant. Soon it was dealing with the government, trying an issue for a member of the family. The government was what took up the 5.5 hours of my day. If I wasn't getting bounced from one department to the next, I was being placed on hold, disconnected (which meant starting the process over again), re-explaining the situation to several people and each of their supervisors, etc.

By the time I was finished with my phone experience, my left ear actually hurt and my voice was hoarse. My head was pounding from a headache I didn't have before starting this phone adventure, and a friend who had stopped by for an unexpected visit said she could actually see a slight tread path from the pacing I was doing while on the phone. With that said, if you should call me and get my voice mail just know that I probably won't be returning your phone call. No, instead I'll email you. It is nothing against your or your conversational gifts, but I've had my fill of phone time for the next 5 years.

Complaint free for thirty minutes at least...

2009-08-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Winter is the busiest period at work and most of the calls we get at this time come from people who think they've been overcharged. It's very taxing trying to make them believe that in fact, they haven't been overcharged, they've just been using their appliances a lot more in this cooler period!

I've been with this employer for long enough to know the drill and it really doesn't phase me much anymore...

Having said that, it seemed every single call I had this morning was one that required further follow up, or from an angry person who had to be appeased.
I was so looking forward to my lunch time break!!!

I'd had enough of people so when midday came, I walked in the opposite direction I usually go and headed for the river. It was overcast with a bit of a chilly wind but it was so nice to share a bit of personal space with nature.

I watched a family feeding ducks in the river and walked closer to get a better look.
As I came to the water's edge, all the ducks and swans in the area starting coming towards me, thinking I had food for them.
Sorry no, not this time!

But I did take a couple of snaps. Aren't they such majestic looking creatures? There's something about them that commands respect. I got the feeling they were saying “You can look and admire, but don't touch!"

I stayed long enough for my mind to clear and then went back to the calls and complaints but this time with the memory of those ducks and swans fresh in my mind.

Making Memories

2009-08-14T09:22:00.001-07:00

Today was spent making memories. Not the casual type of memories that can be easily replaced. No, these memories had to be special. They had to be so unique and sentimental they could not be so easily replaced. Why? Well, because someone this family holds near and dear is leaving to return to his home. And, his home is far, far away. So these memories had to be special since we do not know when we are going to see him again, and - even more importantly - we wanted them to be powerful enough to make him want to return.

We spent the day doing the things he wanted to do - which was a lot. Revisiting old haunts, spending time by the water, having a picnic, and simply just sitting on the grass and waiting for the rain to arrive (it never did). We even went out to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants. The catch was we couldn't order what we usually order. He usually orders a massive hamburger, while I usually order a turkey sandwich. Instead, he ordered chicken and I ordered the Chitpotle Chicken Salad (of which he ate over half). It was a late-night dinner, a quick return home to get the mail and change clothes, and then we were off again.

As I sit here, finishing off this blog posting, I am certain we made memories... lasting memories. I don't know if they were made for him, but they were certainly made for me. And, that will have to be enough.

There's a feeling in the air...

2009-08-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

It seems to happen all of a sudden.

After what seems like endless days of dreariness and dull grey days, a change occurs.

Without any obvious reasons, my mood seems lighter and more hopeful. Instead of shuffling along, head down, getting on with business, I'm looking up and around ready to be a part of everything that's happening around me..
There's a feeling in the air, a sense of wonder, a promise of good things.It even smells different.

Every year it catches me by surprise...
Spring is coming!!
A time for starting anew! Realisation that Winter is not forever. The cold, damp, dark depressing days are being cast away by the earth's rotation and soon Spring and Summer will be here to warm our cold bones!

I love that feeling. I love looking around at the new colours, enjoying the pretty blossom and experiencing the smells of the promise of spring.

It's still frosty, it's still cool, but the sun is on its way and we can all feel it and that makes such a difference.

Cooler Day Brings Comfort Food

2009-08-07T09:06:00.001-07:00

After suffering through several weeks of a significant heat wave, this area is finally experiencing relief. Today’s temperatures were on the cool side of life, complete with clouds. It was definitely something to celebrate; however, the clouds didn’t bring the promised rains we so desperately need. But, for now, I am just happy that the temperatures are cooler – more in line with what we’re accustomed to around here.

And with the cooler temperatures, cooking is now an option. So today’s menu included a classic comfort food that is a mainstay in this household. Unfortunately, it isn’t something we’ve been able to feast on since the heat hit: pizza! And not just any pizza… Hawaiian. That’s classic I adore: Canadian bacon (ham) and pineapple. Only, my version includes extra pineapple.

So, as the family settles down to enjoy this Friday night – feasting on pizza and watching John Hughes movies – I am grateful. Cooler temperatures, pizza, and family… nothing to complain about that kind of Friday.

I Like That

2009-08-06T19:55:00.001-07:00

I'm sure this will be seen as self indulgent but today happens to be the day that the first copies of my CD "I Like That" are going out to customers. It's such a thrill to see it put together and I have so much gratitude for those who have helped me along the way.

Now don't be mistaken, I'm not hoping to make it big in the music world, this is just a culmination of a "lets see if we can do this" idea and it turns out we could!

So I'm going to be putting a link up on my regular blog soon that will have details for anyone who may wish to purchase it. The fee is just to cover costs - like I said, I'm not wanting or hoping to make a bunch of money from it!

We've only just started putting the first lot together but it was a thrill when a couple of people from work told me they wanted to buy a copy yesterday so I have a couple set aside and will be giving them their copies today.

I've been saying this a lot but I really really hope they like it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

30 Degrees Below Hot

2009-07-31T03:27:00.001-07:00

We've been experiencing a heat wave. So significant is this heat wave, that it is making record-breaking highs and record-breaking high lows. What does that mean? Well, it means the night doesn't even bring relief from the heat.

We're not use to this kind of weather in these parts. Even in one of the country's oldest old-growth rainforests (which isn't too far from here), the heat is exceptionally high. The news has been littered with stories about stores running out of fans and air conditioners. As for this household, we're combating the heat with fans and lots of ice. At one point, I combined the two to create a make-shift swamp cooler that worked somewhat. But somewhat was better than nothing. It also doesn't help this area is experiencing a drought. So significant is this drought that if a police officer sees you out watering your lawn, they'll give you a ticket. People are being advised to conserve water, including limiting the amount of showers they take. Limiting the amount of showers one takes? Obviously those giving these instructions have central air conditioning in their homes because we don't, and frequent showers/baths are the only thing preventing heat stroke.

However, today brought some relief. While most of the weather people were saying that well into next week, the temperatures will begin to drop but only by 3-5 degrees, today's temperatures dropped nearly 30 degrees from Wednesday's record-breaking highs. And that difference in degrees can clearly be seen on the people in this city. More people were outside with smiles on their faces. I was even a few degress less cranky than usual!

So thank goodness for today. This Friday brought the relief we all needed at the right time. If only Saturday could bring us a few degrees more cooler.

Let The Windows Be Uncovered!

2009-07-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, some unsuspecting, individual comes along and closes the blinds on our office windows. In our office community, this is almost like committing the unpardonable sin!!

That person will soon be made aware that no matter how much glare is on his or her screen, the window will remain blind free!

You see for the hours that we're enclosed in this concrete building, it's our only source of hope.

Yes, there really is an outside world out there and if we continue to endure, we will soon be back out in it!

How many times has my mind wandered while a customer is yelling his grievance to me?
How easy is it to switch off and glance outside to see the little birdies dancing from branch to branch...
How delightful is it to see the bright sunlight and imagine its warm glow touching the people walking the streets...
How engaging is the contrast of the pretty blue sky against the stone exterior of the building across from us.

No, you simply do not close the blinds in our building!

What's outside your window?

Sleeping the Day Away

2009-07-24T10:21:00.001-07:00

Today I slept most of the day away. It wasn’t intentional. Far from it. As with all Fridays, I had a long list of things to do today. In fact, today’s list was actually double what my usual list is; therefore, it was imperative I start the day early and keep on task. However, it isn’t what happened.

See, last night Dougie arrived from overseas. And while his arrival was expected and planned for, his exhaustion was not. Shortly after returning home and eating a nice meal, Dougie wanted to go to bed. And apparently he couldn’t go to sleep unless I was there too. I wasn’t really tired, or at least I didn’t think I was tired, so I figured that I would lay in bed until I heard him snore and then get up and get some work done while he slept. It wasn’t what happened.

I feel asleep before I heard him snoring, and I slept through the night. This is unusual, since everyone who knows me knows I have sleeping problems, but I’m not complaining. When morning rolled around, we woke up to have a nice breakfast with the family. But shortly after breakfast, Dougie wanted to go back to sleep. So, I went back to bed with him – determined to lay in bed while he fell asleep, then get up and do the work I hadn’t done the night before. That wasn’t what happened.

By the time I woke up, it was 3:30 in the afternoon and even then it was like prying me from the pillow to actually get me out of bed. I slept the day away, but I’m not complaining. What I do find curious is the power another person has over my ability to relax, blend into the sheets, and doze off for a dream-packed rest. I don’t know if it is the rhythm of his breathing, the warmth from his proximity, or the reassurance from his need to hug me while he falls asleep, but I was able to push off all the pressures from the past few weeks and just sleep. I love it when that happens.

A little slice of my personal heaven

2009-07-23T18:04:00.001-07:00

I don't have many words to write today, I'll just let the picture speak for itself.

So many of my favourite things are featured in this simple photo.

Why is it that the ocean gives us such peace? Is it the vast expanse of water? The freshness of the cool air brushing your cheeks? The vivid colours in the sky as it contrasts with the water below?

Or is it simply the happy memories from times past?

Whatever the reasons, I love being at the beach.

From time to time you'll find me sitting at this bench with a book in my lap, enjoying my surroundings.

Sometimes I'll just sit and observe the scenery while reflecting on my private thoughts. No matter how extreme the weather is, you'll always see someone walking along the foreshore.

And being in the vastness of this scenery, life's ups and downs - with all the complexities that surround it - seem to diminish in proportion... and right now, I like that.

Finally! A Day Trip!

2009-07-17T02:57:00.001-07:00

After months of pushing off day trips where I would simply lose myself in my cameras and capture whatever it was I was looking at, I was finally able to indulge. With my camera bag, extra lens cases, tripods, and a cooler full of bottled water and granola bars, I loaded everything – including my family – into the truck and we drove toward the islands. Originally we were intending to head to Seattle, but I just couldn’t bring myself to deal with Seattle traffic today. After the week I’ve had, I wanted to lose myself in the quiet, subtle calm of the islands.

The calming effect of visiting Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands was definitely tested. With a hoard of drivers who apparently had the same idea that I had, not to mention all of the road construction, my patience and frustration levels were tested; however, I persevered. After photographing the majesty of Deception Pass, which links Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island, my truck headed south toward our final destination – Coupeville.

I’ve never been to Coupeville, but after reading about a fellow blogger’s visit (snaps to Salena over at the Daily Rant), I wanted to head there with my little family. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Not only was this quaint, little fishing village – which harks back to the late 19th century – as picturesque as I had envisioned, there was a big sailing regatta taking place with at least fifty boats gliding across the blue waters.

And while there, we ran into old friends who wanted to treat us to lunch. Though I wanted to stay and spent a few more hours taking photographs, my mum decided we needed to eat something other than granola bars. So, we headed off the islands to a restaurant called the Farmhouse – where we had agreed to meet the friends at a designated time. The conversation was lively and fun, but the food and service were less than impressive. In fact, none of us finished our food (it was that bad). And, it was a good thing we didn’t too.

I was in the parking when the clam chowder I had ordered for lunch was beginning to play nasty tricks on my tummy. I had barely made it home – desperately sucking on peppermints the entire way – before I was vomiting up the contents (and possibly some internal organs) of my stomach. Yep, food poisoning. But it doesn’t matter because nothing could dampen my day. How could it? I had my family, sunshine, cameras, sailboats, and scenic views.

It Could Always Be Worse...

2009-07-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last week I mentioned that we'd been spending quite a bit of time at the hospital visiting my dad. This week hasn't been very different. I can understand why people say they hate going to hospitals but they forget that the patient doesn't really have a choice...

Still, over the years there's one thing I've learned from going to hospitals... there is always someone worse off than you. No matter how bad things seem and how sorry you want to feel for yourself and your situation, things could be worse. Dwelling on the negative feelings and emotions isn't going to help anyone, least of all, the person who is in the hospital.

While this hospital has a pretty entrance, flanked by leafless trees and the odd palm here or there, the sight of it has started to send nervous shivers down my spine. I am thankful that I'm the one visiting though, and not the patient.

So as much as I hate the sight, sounds and smells associated with this hospital, I will continue to go and see my dad because the little time of discomfort it costs me, is immeasurable to the amount of pleasure the distraction must bring him - and it goes without saying that I love my dad and will do anything to make him feel just that little bit better.

Financial Doldrums

2009-07-10T09:47:00.001-07:00

As with everyone in the country (and world), I’ve been hit by the economic downturn. My client list has shrunk dramatically, which has decreased my revenues (obviously). I foresaw this happening in 2007, when clients began to express concern to me about their finances and sought my advice – even though that isn’t my area of expertise. So, in an effort to hunker down and ride out the long-haul (because I knew it was going to last a while), I looked toward supplementing my income. Because I was teaching some classes on the side, I thought it made perfect sense for me to do more teaching. After all, education has traditionally been recession-proof. Or so I thought.

I began to aggressively apply to various online colleges/universities, taking many assignments for the experience (though sometimes regretting my links to certain online universities) and CV building. As the economy continued to worsen and my revenues continued to fall, I took on more classes to teach. However, since the beginning of this year, I’ve noticed it has become more difficult to secure online teaching assignments. Frankly, I think the reason is because MBAs are unemployed and trying to earn money the same way I am. I’ve also noticed the classes I’ve traditionally taught at schools I’m already employed with are dropping classes at the last minute because of low enrollment numbers. I’ve experienced a substantial decline in teaching assignments – one college cancelling all five classes I was scheduled to teach because they didn’t have the enrollment numbers.

Summertime is traditionally difficult to be assigned to a class because most people take the summer off instead of pushing through with their studies. However, this summer I was lucky. Two universities contacted me to put me under contract to teach a class. Yes! The first class has started, and I’m already half-way through teaching it. The second class, however, has some drama attached to it.

On Monday, the class was loaded into the system, ready for me to tweak because the class starts the following Monday. But on Tuesday, emails were distributed to summer teaching staff saying they were “tweaking” the classrooms to “accommodate enrollment numbers.” My loaded classroom was taken down, but the classes would be up by Thursday. Yesterday came and went with no classroom. So today was spent fretting over whether or not the class would go. My laptop became an unofficial appendage as I tried to alleviate concerns over this class. Emails to my faculty chair went unanswered, while I obsessively checked to see if the classroom had been loaded. At 9 p.m. this evening, it still hadn’t made its appearance.

This was my Friday. Worrying because the class wasn’t up, freaking out because this would be a substantial loss of money if I don’t teach the class (they pay the highest rates), budgeting and re-budgeting in an attempt to accommodate the loss of income. The day was spent in financial crisis, resulting in financial depression, followed by numbing comfort food. Ahhh… Fridays.

In Honour Of Simple Pleasures

2009-07-09T21:04:00.001-07:00

I think I've been saying this a lot lately but this week has again been one of those weeks!

The kids are on school holidays, and while I love when they're home, it means there is no order to the days. When they're at school, we have a schedule.

They get up at a certain time, we have dinner at a certain time - everyone knows their place and knows what they're doing (or at least, what they're supposed to do!) I like order.

The disorder of school holidays can get me a little frazzled at times, and it's worse when I'm at work because I start to feel sorry for myself. Why are they all home enjoying themselves and I have to be at work??

It's not fair!

Besides the school holidays, my dad has been in hospital this week. I won't go into all the particulars but with constant phone calls and hospital visits, it's been a stressful week for my family.

So this morning, as I woke up and stumbled through a dark house while the rest of the family slept, it was the simple thought of my first morning coffee that enabled me keep going rather than crawling back into bed.

Smooth, rich coffee with warm, thick, frothy milk on top, sprinkled with perhaps a little too much chocolate... Divine!

I wish I could capture the smell of a freshly brewed pot and take that around with me all day. No question about it, it hit the spot.

And while the family slept on and on and on, I took those few minutes to enjoy my simple pleasure and re-energise myself for whatever today is going to bring me.

Scent the World With Lavender

2009-07-03T14:53:00.001-07:00

Today is the day before a holiday and, as with all days before a holiday, there was a buzz of activity. Everyone was rushing about, trying to secure their barbecue, picnic, and camping necessities while all government offices shut down in observance. While I had taken the day off, I was among the many, many people running last minute errands to prepare for the big celebration on the 4th.

My family and I don't usually celebrate Independence Day. We don't barbecue, picnic, or camp. We aren't big into fireworks and could really care less about being patriotic. Indifference comes to mind when I think of Independence Day. That and the Will Smith movie. My family's typical procedure for the holiday was to sleep as much as possible and watch the Seattle fireworks celebration on the television. This year, however, was going to be different.

This year my mum doesn't have to work on Independence Day, so we decided to celebrate. Turkey burgers, potato salad, deviled eggs, raspberry shortcake, and fireworks. And today was our day to run those last minute errands in preparation, just as it seemed to be with everyone else. Because, quite frankly, nearly every idiot and their dog was out on the roads today. So much so, I needed to take a break from people or I was going to climb a clock tower and/or mow down all those inconsiderate and stupid drivers I managed to encounter.

So, we went to the lavender fields. One of the great things about living where I live, is you often encounter things you don't expect. While I expect tall evergreens, high mountains, lots of water (and not necessarily in the form of rain), I do not expect acres and acres of lavender. That is something to be found in the French countryside. But we have our lavender fields, and I decided it was time for a visit.

There is something absolutely magical about the lavender fields - far more magical than the tulip and iris fields I usually visit in the spring. The lavender fields give off this reassuring hum from all the bees buzzing about - all of them more interested in collecting the sweet nectar from the lavender and not in torpedoing you with their stingers - while the air is scented with fragrance. Not that clinging, almost suffocating fragrance you often experience with lilies, but this light, soft fragrance that just lulls you into tranquility. Often times I just want to lay down between the rows, close my eyes, and let the world drift by. I just know I would have no trouble falling asleep. And this year's crop was no disappointment. .

Big monster mounds of purple, pink, and white spikes jet up from the earth - stretching as far as my hips (which is pretty far when you consider I'm nearly 6-foot). So with cutting shears in hand, I went about collecting fistfuls of lavender stems - creating several bouquets to bring home with me as remembrance. And tonight, when I'm laying in bed, I'm quite certain the loud pops, whistles, and bangs from the fireworks will be completely drowned out by the gentle lull of the lavender fragrance wafting from those bouquets on my nightstand.

Warm Feelings on a Cold Winter's Night

2009-07-03T03:21:00.000-07:00

We go to my parents place quite often, and every time we're going there, I get a feeling that's probably similar to what a kid feels when his mum tells him it's treat time!

I know I should probably be over this, but I can't help it. Going to my parents place is treat time! I try not to think about whether the same feelings hold true for my parents but that's another topic!

So today we went to my parents place for a casual dinner. Let me tell you, there's nothing casual about it! Fried Italian sausages, home made deli meats, cheese, wine, pizza, it's available!

Every time it's the same.

"Mum" I tell her, "you don't need to make anything for us to eat" and yet every time there is a feast waiting - and don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not complaining! There's nothing more comforting than a warm cosy kitchen, a full belly, and good company on a blustery Winter's evening!

I've always said one thing I admire about my mum, good italian woman that she is, is that no matter what, she's always ready to feed an army at the drop of a hat! I don't know how she does it and frankly, I don't want to know. Some things should just be enjoyed without scrutiny. It keeps the magical element of it alive!

The Perfect Pillow

2009-06-26T01:13:00.000-07:00

Since 2007, I've been in a long search for the perfect pillow. I use to have the perfect pillow. I don't know how long I had it or even where I got it, I just remember it was absolutely perfect. It fit my head just right and gave my neck the right amount of support. Whenever I had to travel, I took it with me - ensuring it was always the first thing packed whenever I was leaving to go somewhere or leaving to come home. However, all good things must come to an end and my perfect pillow met its fate one afternoon when my mum decided she was going to go on a cleaning rampage and tossed my wonderful, perfect pillow in the washing machine. After what can only be considered pure torture and agony for my pillow, it exploded in the washer. My mum cursed that perfect pillow for the mess it made, but I cursed mum for destroying that for which I loved.

So, I've been on a quest for a new perfect pillow. I feel a bit like the dark-haired version of Goldilocks - squeezing pillow after pillow and resting my head on each cushion to find my perfect match. Fiber filled, feather filled, memory foam, air filled... you name it, I've tried it. Yet none have had the right amount of firmness for me to bring home and call mine.

However, today there was a pillow sale at a local store. With great anticipation, I drove into the parking lot and practically raced into the door for fear that someone would find my pillow before I got there and buy it. There were bins filled with pillows of all shapes and sizes. There were even cushions to throw on a chair or sofa - just without the cushion covers. So, I took my time strolling up and down the bin-filled aisles, squeezing, hugging, and testing each pillow. And guess what? I didn't find my perfect pillow. Goldilocks had it easy.

Ch - ch - changes...

2009-06-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

Due to recent events, I'm feeling a little reflective and that's what has produced today’s thoughts.

As I walked along the footpath this morning, I noticed lots of leaves blowing about in the wind in the various colours that decomposition had now given them. They were having their last playful dance before decay claimed them.
However in the near future, new leaves will appear on these now almost barren trees and the cycle will repeat.

It's inevitable that as we grow and experience life, things will change. It's the nature of the world. Nothing stays the same.
The older we get, the more change we have to deal with. However, the older we get, the more experience and maturity we have to deal with these changes. I guess that's the theory, I'm not too sure how well it works in practice.

We all have a past that's shaped us, a present to live to the fullest and a future to look forward to and work toward.

Sometimes it's not easy to look into the past and my thoughts on that are if it's painful, why would you want to?
We have the present and future here and now!
Yes, the past has shaped us, but if continue to let the negative aspects of it affect us, then we're dragging it into the present and that's no place for something that should be past.
We should remember the good times of the past, respect the events that shaped and moulded us, and continue to live in the present as that’s where we hold the most power.

I look forward to what today will bring, and know that my attitude and good decisions will help bring about an even better future.

Good-byes

2009-06-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to believe there is a conspiracy against me taking a day trip to do some of my photography. Since May, I've been planning out time to spend the day on the road with my cameras - photographing places I've not seen or have seen but not in a long while. However, something invariably ends up interfering and the trip has to be postponed. Today was no different.

I had planned a day trip with the family to Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, exploring the nooks and crannies - snapping photographs as frequently and freely as I pleased. I had scheduled all my work around today, and I convinced myself today's trip would actually happen... Not so much.

An online school I was scheduled to teach a class told me the class I was going to teach would be loaded into the system today. Normally, a class is loaded at least a month prior to its start date, but this class is scheduled to start on June 25 - less than a week away. I had only a few days to accomplish what is usually done in a month - syllabus and class set up. So, yet again, I couldn't do the day trip. However, as morning turned to afternoon - the class still hadn't been loaded. So, not only did I not get to take the day trip but the reason behind me not taking that day trip was invalid. I was furious. But, I'm glad we didn't go.

Early this afternoon, we received a phone call from London telling us Dougie's dad had a heart attack and had been admitted to a London hospital. While he was still alive, he was going to need a double bypass. This meant Dougie needed to fly back to London as soon as possible, and I needed to say good-bye to him - even though he has been back from London for only a week. What was worse, besides the circumstances behind his going back to London, was we had no idea how long he would be gone.

So, while he frantically packed a bag, I went online to buy him a ticket. A few phone calls, and we had 45 minutes to get him to the local airport so he can board the plane to Seattle, transfer to a plane heading to Newark, New Jersey, and then it is on to Heathrow. We managed to get there in 15 minutes and in our rush to get his board passes and through security, we hadn't said a proper good-bye to each other. In fact, it wasn't until he was standing on the other side of the security glass - in the waiting area of his plane - when he and I both realized we hadn't said good-bye. He and I stood there, facing each other but unable to hear what the other said or touch. But being the creative guy that he is, he quickly pulled out his cell phone and soon the Fratellis were singing in my pocket.

He said his good-bye, and I said my good-bye. Now I only wish it was time for me to say "Welcome back" to him.

Sugar and Spice....

2009-06-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

I had been looking forward to this Friday for a long time. My cousin Joanne and her husband David had a baby girl this year and tonight we were going to visit them. Beautiful Hannah is a little sister to Jeremiah.

I was expecting to have a fun night, catching up with Joanne and David and watching the children do fun things but it was more than that. Joanne put Hannah in my arms shortly after we arrived. It had been too long since my own children were that young and I felt awkward picking her up.

She wasn't in my arms long though until I began to melt under the innocence and total trust of this little baby girl. Everything was a lesson to her. Every movement, everything that passed her eye, every second, she was learning something new.

It didn't take long for me to switch back into 'mama' mode and Hannah settled into my arms.
After a little while she even fell asleep. I could hear her breathing quietly as she lay against my chest.

Joanne kept asking if I wanted to put her down but I was too comfortable and enjoying the closeness too much.

A little while later she woke and once again those little eyes looked everywhere with wonder, taking everything in, learning more and more about this enormously vast world around her.

It is such a miraculous wonder - giving birth to another human being and the responsibility that goes with it, but it comes with so many rewards.

Congratulations Joanne and David and thank you for a really nice evening.

Migraines

2009-06-12T06:51:00.001-07:00

I suffer from migraines. They range the spectrum from tolerable to absolutely excruciating. Some of the migraine triggers have been identified and are avoided, but the real horrible part is I cannot take any migraine medication (at least prescription) to help ease the pain. See, there is a history of brain aneurysms and strokes in my family and because of that, my doctors have deemed it too dangerous for me to take any of the available prescription migraine medications. So, I am left to my own devices. I have a wide assortment of over-the-counter medications I typically mix like a mad scientists until I have found the right cocktail to ease the pain.

Since Tuesday, I have had the nastiest migraine. It is not continuous but hits at various times each day. The migraine is crippling. On Wednesday night, the migraine was so substantial that I nearly went to the emergency room. I was vomiting, could not handle sound or light, and was sobbing – which probably only made it worse. Thursday it presented itself again, though in a milder form. Today, however, it returned with a screaming vengeance. And, unfortunately, I had a high priority client meeting which made it impossible to stay home and put myself into a coma with anything – including a hammer. What was more, after the client meeting, I had to drive down to Seattle to pick up Dougie from the airport and make the long, laborious drive back home.

The entire time I sat in the client meeting, my head pounded. It pounded so hard that I often missed what was said by those in attendance at the meeting. By the time I returned to my truck, I was sobbing. I wanted to go home and lay on my bed. But, I did not. I drove south to the SeaTac airport to pick up Dougie. The entire time, my body is flinching in rhythm to the pounding in my head.

Luckily, I did not have to drive home. When Dougie walked through the doors to baggage claim, where I was waiting, he instantly knew and took the keys to my truck – even though he hates driving in Seattle traffic. By the time I got home, the realization had hit that my Friday was gone in a blur of sharp, agonizing pain. I crawled into my bed, Dougie laying next to me and stroking my hair, and finally managed to fall asleep after taking significantly more than the recommended dosage of these pain pills we bought in Canada (and aren’t exactly legal in the U.S.) a few months ago. Miracles of all miracles, I awoke to only a moderate headache.

With the sun slowly setting, the evening cooled by a breeze, I settled onto a patio lounger with Dougie and closed my eyes – the sounds of birds singing in the trees surrounding the property providing a strange melody to the sound of his heart beat. All I could do was silently thank those lovely Canadian pills for making my Friday evening better than my Friday morning and afternoon.

Sand & Sniffles

2009-06-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

I've been off work for the past three days with a flu like virus. It caught me off guard.
While I detest being sick (not that anyone likes it) I was looking forward to a few days of rest.

I slept most of Wednesday, letting my body do its healing thing, but by Thursday I was starting to get itchy feet. Sure, I still wasn't well, but I was starting to feel a little better and a little cooped up.

By Friday I really needed to get out. It's been so cold though! It's a frosty, icy, cold that seems to cut right through to my bones. I'm lucky enough to live only a few kilometres from the beach so this morning I rugged up with a heavy jumper, coat and a warm, knitted scarf and drove myself down there. I didn't get out of the car, I just wanted to sit there and enjoy the scenery.

I've always loved this part of the coast. The way it curves around gently, sand transforming to pebbles along the way. It's so pretty.
I used to run along this beach and this part was my finishing mark. It gave me something to look forward to as I approached my finish line.

I didn't stay long as it was cold and I was starting to feel like I needed my bed and blanket again but the little trip had definitely been worth it.

Disappointing Friday

2009-06-05T02:23:00.001-07:00

I was optimistic for today. Since last month, I had been planning to take my little family on a day trip to central Washington, stopping at various points along the way so I can indulge in one of my passions – photography. For me, there is nothing more relaxing and sublime than to open my camera bag and lose myself in the moments I capture with my cameras and lenses. But I have not had many opportunities to get out with those cameras and lenses, photographing the world around me. Life has kept me too busy and the heat wave we are currently experiencing has kept everyone, including myself, indoors for relief. So today was going to be especially fun.

A picnic was planned, maps were charted, the SPF 100 packed, and camera batteries were fully charged. I went to bed Thursday night with anxious anticipation for the coming day. And it took me forever to relax enough to fall asleep because my mind kept whirling with excitement. I experienced that a lot when I was a kid – probably because I was soon to embark on some adventure. As an adult, I have not felt that feeling as often. Unfortunately, many times those mini adventures feel more bothersome than exciting. But today was going to be different. Today was going to be a day to escape the week’s draining heat, exhausting work, and stressful surprises. It was going to be a day I could spend with my family, enjoying one of the many reasons why we live in the Pacific Northwest (the outdoors), and explore some areas we have not explored before.

Then, in the middle of the night, I heard it. A retching call from somewhere in the house which pulled me out of my bed. Stumbling toward the repeated heaves, littered with moments of sobbing, I could feel that excited anticipation for the coming day begin to dissipate. And as the bathroom light pulled me toward it, I knew the day was not going to hold what I hoped it would hold. Sure enough, my little sister was sick and it did not appear to be something she was going to get over in the next couple of hours.

After a good clean up, I helped her back to bed and waited until she fell back to sleep before returning to my own bed. All the while hoping this was just a temporary glitch in the plans, and she would be right as rain by the time the morning alarm buzzed. The morning, however, revealed the necessity to put my little escape to central Washington on hold. She was too sick to travel. Whether it is the stomach flu, food poisoning, heat stroke, or some other stomach malady, it really does not matter. She needed to stay home, stay in bed, and sleep, and I needed to take care of her.

I am disappointed. I admit, I feel a little guilty for being so disappointed. After all, it is not her fault she is sick but when such high hopes are cast and plans are made, the let-down of not seeing it to fruition can be significant. So my cameras and lenses sit in their bags, waiting for the day when I can break them out and escape. Here is hoping that time will be sooner, rather than later.

Seeing Red

2009-06-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

It's winter here in Australia and the mornings are frosty, dark and depressing. I looked out the window while sipping my morning coffee (momentary comfort) and saw it was still dark outside. Still dark! I was leaving for work in a few minutes and it felt like I should still be curled up in bed! It just wasn't right.

I detest winter. No matter how many layers of clothing I put on, I never seem to be warm enough. This morning seemed particularly bad as I haven't been sleeping well lately, so I had two reasons to be irritable and to feel sorry for myself.

It doesn't help that the rest of the family are still home when I leave for work. It doesn’t matter that they'll be leaving shortly after I do; I just resented everything this morning! And it didn't help when I stumbled over an object that had been left on my pathway as I walked to the car. It had been too dark for me too see it lying there! I added that to my growing list of reasons for why I was going to be grumpy today.

With a head full of negativity I drove my car and stopped at the first set of lights I came to. Typical - Of course they would be red on a morning like this! While I sat there, I looked around absentmindedly and that's when I noticed the sky. Such an incredible reddish hue as the sun began to show itself over the mountains. I couldn't believe how majestic it looked and knew that in a few minutes more, the whole dynamic would change as the sun would be that much higher and the colours less intense. I had looked up just at the right time!I couldn't wait to pull over to take a snapshot!

How lucky was I to be sitting there at those lights in that instant. Mother Nature heard my grumbling and though I wasn't deserving, decided to give me a little visual gift. What a wonderful way to get out of a black mood!

My spirit was lifted.

It may not be such a bad day after all - but I still hate winter!

No Gardener in the Garden

2009-05-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

I love gardens. I love the brightly colored petals, wafting fragrances, fine textures, and gentle hum of busy bees. When I was little, one of my favorite books was The Secret Garden. I used to dream about having my own walled, secret garden. It would have winding pathways, creeping vines, dancing colors, and a swing hanging from a giant tree. Tucked in the corner of the garden, protected under the giant arms of a tree, would be a bench where I could sit and read or simply close my eyes and enjoy the quiet peacefulness of my secret garden. A bubbling brook/stream or some sort of water feature would be heard in the distance, while keeping me company would be a nice assortment of song birds, humming birds, butterflies, and bumble bees. I still have this dream often, and I am convinced that when I finally do settle down in the home I will call mine until the day I die, I will have one of these gardens.

As a photographer, I love gardens. There is always plenty to photograph and everyday there is typically something new. There is so much life in gardens, and I am able to take my time and capture everything around me in my own style. When I'm photographing gardens, I feel a sense of rejuvenation that I do not feel when I'm photographing people. With gardens, I could go on for hours - sometimes snapping mindlessly. With people, it is a different story.

And while I love gardens; I love the sense of peace and tranquility they bring me; I do not love gardening. I am not, and probably won't be anytime soon, a gardener. I don't enjoying rolling up my sleeves and mucking in. Gardening involves several things which I do not like: dirt, bugs, and muscle aches. I hate weeding, do not particularly enjoy deciding on color schemes, and could care less if salvia needs full or partial sun. I don't like mowing the grass, trimming hedges, or raking leaves. Nor do I care when it is the appropriate time to plant bulbs (autumn or spring), and I don't really want to know the difference between mulch or compost.

Don't get me wrong. I do have a green thumb. Surprisingly, I have killed maybe five plants in my lifetime of houseplants and I have a house filled with an assortment of greenery (and none of it plastic). However, it doesn't mean I like to garden. Placing a potted plant on a window ledge and watering on a semi-regular basis is one thing, but going outside in my wellies with a trow, spade, or whatever it is gardeners use, is not my idea of a good time. I'll never understand the appeal of pruning or dead-heading, nor can I grasp the delights of tilling the loam.

However, Evil Pixie's mum is a big gardener. She loves the satisfaction of planting flowers and watching them flourish, or stepping out to cut herbs to add to the night's dinner. But because she isn't what she use to be (who among us are?), she can no longer do some of the physical stuff attached to gardening. This is where I come in... If only there were a simpler way to do things. I suppose I could always hire someone to help her, but who can afford that? Plus, I don't think mum would approve. I truly believe she looks at her barking instructions and me grunting as I attempt to pull stubborn weeds as a form of bonding. So I garden, and I have the sore back, muscle cramps, and blisters to prove it. But make no mistake, I'm not a gardener.

I will say one thing, when it is time for me to have my walled secret garden... I'm hiring out.

Keeping My Brain Cells Active

2009-05-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, I remember my mother buying "puzzle books" even though she had limited knowledge of the English language.
When I asked her why she bought them she said it was because she wanted to learn - she wanted to improve her knowledge of the language and expand her mind.

As the books were left lying around the house, I would pick them up from time to time and always impressed myself when I was able to complete a puzzle!

Being a little girl and wanting to please my mother, I remember 'creating' a puzzle book for her. I made up a few word searches and god knows what else. To her credit my mother thanked me and acted as if I'd given her the best thing in the world but I didn't ever see her trying to complete any of my puzzles! Who knows if they even made any sense! I'd love to see it today.

As I got older I bought my own puzzle books, doing my favourite puzzles (cryptograms & logic) first, then the others. I both loved and hated it! I hated not being able to finish a challenging puzzle but loved the exhilaration when I was able to.

My love of puzzles has followed me into adulthood. I not only do them on the train, but do them whenever and wherever.
If I’ve got water on the boil for a coffee, I'll pick up my sudoko while I wait.
If I'm stirring a risotto, you'll often see me with a wooden spoon in one hand, and my puzzle book in the other.
If I'm having a quiet moment with a coffee, waiting for the kids to come home from school, you'll probably see a puzzle book open on the table in front of me.
It's something to do when there's nothing to do!
And most importantly, it keeps the brain cells sharp!

Will my kids inherit a love of puzzles as I inherited it from my mother?

Now, where's my pen?

Of the Silver Hair Clan

2009-05-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

My family tree has passed down a legacy to me that I wish they had kept to themselves. See, we're early greyers. My grandfather started getting grey hair in his early teens, and my mum's first greys appeared when she was 16. As for me, that first unforgiving grey hair appeared when I was 18 years old.

At first, the grey hair wasn't noticeable to anyone but me. By the time I was in my early 20s, I started dying my hair but I could go several months between bottle jobs. Even when growth happened, there were no serious concerns because the growth was typically my darker brown color and coloring was purely for consistency purposes. By the time my late 20s rolled around, my dying routine increased to every six weeks and the faint traces of greying roots began to emerge. Now, it is a completely different story.

Now I have to dye my hair at a minimum of every four weeks. If I do not, I begin to resemble some sort of punkish skunk look with a streak of silver running down my part. While I could always go completely natural and not dye my hair, like my mum has done, I would probably need special medication to cope. I have seen people age my mother 10, 15, even 20 years older than she actually is and it is all due to her grey hair. There isn't a wrinkle, fine line, or age spot on her face, yet people assume she is significantly older than she is... all due to that shiny silver mane on the top of her head. As for me, I have a difficult enough time coping with the fact that I'm growing old - to have people make assumptions about my age based on the color of my hair would be a catastrophic blow to my psyche. So I dye.

I dye like clock-work: every four weeks. And this Friday is the day I do it. I use to go to a salon to have the work done because I'm far too impatient and lazy to do it myself, but I've learned to adjust my patience level and break out the bottle. These economic times do not support the concept of a $100 root touch-up every four weeks. Instead, I pay $7 and grumble aloud as I try to contort myself while staring in the mirror - trying to see where the dye has landed and where it needs to go. My gloved fingers rifling through my strands in search of that silver patch, praying I get all the roots, while globs of color drip onto the t-shirt that has been used so many times for coloring my hair that it now looks more like a tie-dye t-shirt than its original color.

I'm now convinced that long ago, in a different place, my ancestors were proud members of the Silver Hair Clan. I can see it now, "This is Roland of the Silver Hair Clan." As for me... I'll stick to "This is Evil Pixie from the Bottle Job Clan" for just a bit longer.

Making Music

2009-05-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

I've been tapping into my creative side lately - a side I often deny I have - and it's been so much fun! I've been writing new songs and slowly learning how to create the music using software, and recording vocals to go with it. At times I swear I could hear my brain churning out loud!! It's not been an easy process but I'm excited about what is being produced and I'm continually learning.

My handsome and very talented husband as been lending his much needed song writing talents to my projects too. It's been nice to work at something with him. It's not mine or his, but ours. We both bring what we can and create a song!

So today, while I'm fulfilling my work obligations, all I can think about is our new song! I can't wait to get back home to keep working on it.

It may be a bit of a silly dream, but I hope to get ten songs together to create a little CD that I can make available to my family and any one else who wants one.

I have six songs so far, with a potential seventh (that I'm still a little unsure about).

I can't help but wonder when this creative well will run dry but while the obsession is strong - and no one is telling me to give it up already, I'm going to run with it!

Sunny Day...

2009-05-15T16:06:00.001-07:00

The last few Fridays have not been the best. In fact, I would venture to say they have been quite sad, depressing, and even life-changing. And while hindsight is 20/20, I cannot help but think I should have known these Fridays were going to be icky. I woke up with a sick feeling in my stomach or backache, and when my body finally allowed me to gather up enough energy to get out of bed, I was greeted by wind, rain, and a cold that brings flashes of November… not spring. However, today was different.

I woke up this morning even before my alarm went off, and I was up and in the shower with little effort. Stepping on the scale, I had magically lost 4 pounds overnight (though I had eaten pizza the night before), and the hot water immediately kicked in when I stepped into the shower. My hair looked just the way I wanted it too, and even the cats had avoided laying all over my black trousers and covering them in hair. Even better, when I stepped outside the sun was shining brightly and the utility workers, who had been blocking my driveway for the past week, actually gave me enough space to back out of my driveway and be on my way to spend the day with a client.

What typically takes me 40 minutes to get to the client’s location, only took me 20 minutes (without speeding). On the way, one of my favorite CDs rocked me into a mood to match the sunshine and blue skies. As I took the freeway exit to get to the client’s building, I saw my beacon rising up above the treetops – beckoning me toward my destination. This is no ordinary beacon but a disused smokestack that has become an icon in this river valley town and sits smack-dab in the middle of my client’s parking lot. And while I encounter this smokestack every time I go see this client, today was somehow different. The painted tulips and blue background re-enforced the sunny day feeling taking over me, and I knew – without hesitation – today was going to be a good day.

Food Obsessed? Who Me?

2009-05-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

It could be argued that I'm food obsessed. I won't comment on that but is your mouth salivating as much as mine is just looking at that picture?

Deno and I have recently been going through a popcorn phase. We have air popped pop corn most nights. It's the perfect compliment to being huddled up on the couch with warm comfy blankets on our laps while watching something mindless on television. It's not about the television, it's about the popcorn!

Deno has his lathered in butter and while I don't mind that taste, I usually set mine aside with only traces of butter and seasoned with salt.

This morning while I was planning my day, wondering what I was going to take to work for lunch I thought, "why not popcorn?"

Why not indeed!

Who says it's only allowed to be enjoyed at night in front of television?

So while the rest of the house slept, I got the air popper out and let it do its magic on those little yellow kernels. Pretty soon, the sound and the smell that wafted through the house woke everyone up.

"What the hell are you doing?" said a bleary eyed Deno as he came into the kitchen.

"Just making my lunch" I replied with perhaps too much enthusiasm.

You see, I am food obsessed and even as I was making my popcorn, I was wondering whether those white little crunchy puffs were even going to make it to lunch time!And here I am at 8.40am, writing about them. How will I ever be able to wait until 12.30 to eat them?

Popcorn anyone?

Angry at the World

2009-05-08T07:05:00.001-07:00

I woke up today not really looking forward to the day - unlike the vast majority of people who wake up to a Friday. See, today I was expected to say good-bye to someone I love very much. Why? Well, this little girl lost a very bravely fought battle with an illness that she had been battling for months. Today was her funeral. Today was the day I was expected to say good-bye and let go.

This little girl was special. I realize everyone says the little girl in their life is special, but this one was extra special to me. She was my first goddaughter. I was there when she came into the world, and - unfortunately - I was there when she left the world. She was full of vitality and fought this battle with the courage and hope that only a 12-year-old could possess, and to say good-bye to her leaves a deep, gnawing sadness that is difficult to describe and even more difficult to prevent from consuming me.

She was probably like most 12-year-olds. She loved the color pink, boys, make-up, and wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up. She made me laugh, and I made her laugh, because I don't like the color pink, I don't constantly think (or talk) about boys, I don't wear make-up, and I couldn't dance to save my life. While we adults talked about global warming, the economy, party politics, and the woes of life, she talked about the Jonas Brothers, Zac Efron, clothes, her hair, and... Zac Efron. Exactly what a 12-year-old should talk about. She was tall and willowy, the right stuff for a ballerina, and she loved nothing more than to be center stage in her point shoes. She used to show me all the places she was going to dance at... in New York, London, Paris, etc., while I would point to the seat she would find me sitting in when she did. We used to talk about what the future held for her and what the future held for me, and she promised not to dress me in pink, when I was too old and feeble to dress myself.

And now, as I sit in the backyard where I once watched her show me the latest routine she learned at ballet school, the house buzzing inside from all the well wishers come to provide support to the family and nosh on the food left untouched by the majority, I cannot help but be angry. I'm angry that she had to leave, I'm angry she didn't get the chance to dance in New York, London, or Paris, and I'm angrier at a world that continues to rotate without her.

Thirty Minutes Of Me Time!

2009-05-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

I catch the train into the city and for the most part, I find it a fantastic way to get to work.

Before the busy day that is ahead of me, I get to sit, relax, read or listen to my mp3 player while someone else deals with the task of getting me to my destination.I don’t have to worry about slow erratic drivers, constant red lights, or tailgaters.

The half hour or so that it takes for me to get into work is so relaxing that I’m usually at work before I know it. Of course, then I’m hit with the dread of actually having to face the day, but that half hour trip almost makes it worth it.

It’s total me time!

I don’t have anyone demanding anything of me. Not family, not supervisors or managers, not well meaning friends wanting to unburden their latest dramas, just me, alone in my little world.

It can be so healing.

So, although I’m here for another day of work, I’m refreshed, restored and ready to go.

Retribution Friday

2009-05-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

Before I get too into this blog posting, it is important to note that I’m not writing this on a Friday. No, I’m writing this on a Monday. And while it may say Friday and it does cover Friday, it isn’t Friday. It’s Monday. The reason is because Friday was on the over-whelming side of life for me. You know the old saying? When it rains, it pours? Well, apparently Friday wasn’t so much a “rains… it pours” kind of day, but rather a “storm of Biblical proportions” kind of day.

See, my Friday seemed to be a day of retribution. For me, it was a day when a lie I told long ago came back to bite me in a very big way. Call it karma; call it stupidity. Whatever you call it, it was a signpost for me to recognize not everyone takes the high road but there are those few who actually do. The case-in-point involves someone I’ve known for a relatively short time and another I’ve known for much longer. The one I’ve known for a relatively short time had a minimal role in my life – a friendship that could be lost and easily forgotten – but this was the individual who identified the lie and decided that rather than accepting my apologies and explanations, then carrying on with our individual paths, they – or someone close to them – would tell other people about the lie. I suppose they saw themselves as an advocator for justice, some sort of superhero of retribution that would swoop down and make sure I received my come-uppance, while the world would be a safe place again (safe, that is, from the likes of me). This is where the friend I’ve known for a long time comes in.

This long-time friend received the “word” from that short-time friend – via an anonymous email – about my lie, and that long-time friend asked me about it. Instead of creating some sort of bizarre pretext of missing our friendship and wanting to regain it again – which I presume was meant to lull me into a false sense of security so they could spring their “gotcha” trap – as the short-time friend had done, this long-time friend was straight forward and sought answers. No hostilities, no judgments, just plain-speak answers. And I gave answers, as completely as I could. Apologies were made, and an understanding was developed that not only made our friendship stronger but catapulted my respect for the long-time friend beyond the stratosphere.

So, retribution came and it was faced by me. I admit to my mistake and take the full responsibility that comes with such an admission. Judgments were passed, on both sides of the story, but an interesting twist developed in this sorted little tale. The twist is that while I told a substantial lie, admitted to the lie, became the “bad guy” yet took responsibility and extended my genuine apologies for the crime, I’ve come out richer – not poorer. I’m very certain that was not the intent of the anonymous email. Richer? How? Because I do have friends who can look past the surface of the lie, understand it was a mistake, to know and understand there is a bigger issue, and to express a dedication to working it out.

Is That Thunder I Hear?

2009-04-30T21:47:00.001-07:00

As my place of employment is directly opposite our Parliament House, we often witness various protests occurring. These can be interesting, especially when compared to actually doing some work but the protest that occurred today caused quite a stir!

Shortly before 2pm this afternoon, what started as a gentle rumble soon caught our attention. It wasn't gentle for long and pretty soon we heard a thunderous ovation as bikies from all over Australia came together for a mass protest.

Staff quickly gathered to the window's to get a view of what was going on. The bikies had assembled on the steps of Parliament House which now boasted heavy police presence.I snuck outside in the rain (yes it rained again!) to get a little closer to the action. Everyone was well behaved, at least at the time of this photo they were! The bikes were stretched out right around the corner. Unfortunately my camera only snapped a small part of the action.

What you don't see is the many people lining the footpath where I took this photo from. Not only were there hundreds of bikies, but at least that number were spectators to the event.
What were the bikies protesting? I'm still a little unsure but from what I've heard it's to do with new Government laws.

I'm not a motorcycle girl normally but I must admit, it was a little exciting to be in the midst of it all!

Is It Friday?

2009-04-24T14:15:00.001-07:00

I’m not sure what it is, but for the entire week I’ve been off on my days. On Monday I kept thinking it was Tuesday, on Tuesday I kept thinking it was Wednesday, and so on. By the time Thursday arrived, I thought it was Wednesday. Old age? Early Alzheimer’s? Whatever the case, my inability to make that connection on what day it was really seemed to have an impact on my ability to get anything done.

Even worse, I had a week packed with activity. In fact, it has been more hectic this week than it has been in a few months. The flurry of meetings, tasks, and other demands weren’t helped by my ability to recognize that it is actually Wednesday, not Thursday, and I don’t have to work myself numb to make sure everything is done by the end of the week.

Before I went to bed last night, I knew I would wake up and it would be Friday. I knew this because I had been exchanging emails with Margot about this blog, plus I had just talked about what my day would entail with my partner, Dougie. I actually feel asleep thinking, “Finally! It’s Friday and I have the weekend to relax!” But, sure enough, when I woke up this morning – I was thinking it was Thursday.

For the entire day, I diligently worked on completing everything on my task list, but I distrusted my ability to determine the day and kept asking “Is it Friday?” Ironically, now that my day is done, it has finally settled into me that it is Friday. It is a bit of a relief to finally recognize what day of the week it is. What’s the bigger relief? Tomorrow is Saturday.

The Rains Are Here!

2009-04-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Adelaide is experiencing a horrible drought. Sure, we've had the odd rain here and there but nothing to make any difference to our gardens that's for sure! Our weekends seem to consist of pulling out dead bushes from the garden...

To add a little perspective to this, Adelaide's rainfall to date in 2009 is 27.4mms.At least the couples getting married have little to complain about. Every day is yet another sunny day. In fact, if it did happen to rain on your wedding day the way things have been, you'd have to think the universe was trying to tell you something...

For about a week, the weather forecasters were saying a 'big rain' was coming. Yeah right, we've heard that before!But sure enough, last night it rained! And it wasn't a quick pour or a gentle sprinkling, it was a downpour! It was wonderful and almost a little frightening to hear the hard rain falling about our house. In fact we soon found out our drains were blocked as the water started to back up in places!

By this morning, the rain had slowed to a trickle and I woke up to a gentler, more calming sound of pitter-patter rain drops. Our bedroom door opens up to the upstairs balcony and from there we have a great view of the city. What I saw this morning took my breath away! The city was completely enveloped with clouds! In fact, a few moments after I took this photo, you couldn't even see the buildings any longer! How wonderful for our gardens and the diminishing water resources.

They're forecasting rain for at least a few more days. I wonder when it will no longer be a novelty and turn into an annoyance? For now, I'll enjoy the sounds and smells that go along with Mother Nature’s washing of her lands.

Today's Lesson

2009-04-17T08:55:00.001-07:00

My lesson for today was to never under-estimate the day. When I woke up, the weather outside was wet and cold. The light from yesterday’s sunshine had been blotted out by the clouds, and what should have been the warming touch of spring was actually a cold shudder.

Even worse, a lunch date that I was really looking forward to having was cancelled. For me, the day was done. Why go outside? I have no reason. My lunch date was cancelled; the weather was hideous… It would probably be best to just stay in bed and nap my life away. And, for the first few hours of morning, that is exactly what I did. Friday could just go away.

Then, an interesting thing happened. The rain suddenly stopped and the sunshine was punching through the clouds. Going outside to run a few errands, I was greeted by the happy, pink petals on the birch tree in our front garden. While at the post office, I found out a camera store was going out of business and the sales were amazing. Checking it out, I found a light kit I wanted for my studio that was $100 less than what I would have normally paid. I even found a background stand I wanted that was 50% off.

The day just kept getting better. I found my favorite soda, which stores rarely stock, and it was even ice-cold. I even found a stuffed bunny that was perfect for a portrait I’m shooting for a friend’s newborn daughter.

My day eventually took me to the daffodil fields, which were in full bloom and not over-run with photo hounds or tourists. I was able to shoot at will without the annoyance of wandering people or passing cars ruining my images. Even the traffic seemed to part so I could pass without incident. And as the time passed, the sun shined brighter and warmed the air around us. I no longer felt the cold shudder but a warm buzz from having a good day.

So the lesson for today, just in case you aren't paying attention, is though your day may start out wet and cold, full of disappointment – it doesn’t mean it will stay that way for the rest of the day. Never under-estimate the potential your day can hold... or the sale you may find.

This little piggy went...

2009-04-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you can walk past something every day and not really notice it. Rundle Mall is the main shopping hub in the centre of Adelaide. It's about 600 metres long and has lots of shopping malls and arcades that veer off from the main thoroughfare. It had been a street up until 1976 when the council decided it was too congested, so they closed it off to traffic and made it pedestrians only.It's not uncommon to see buskers lining the street entertaining the shoppers or the office workers as they take their lunch breaks.

I'm one of those office workers and I make it a point, no matter what the weather, to step out every day.

Yes I've seen these little piggies before, and to be honest, I can't say I'm a great fan of them but they certainly are a talking point aren't they? The bronze sculpture is called "A day out" and is the work of artist Marguerite Derricourt. After a public poll, they were named Augusta, Truffles, Horatio and Oliver. They were put in the mall during an upgrade in the late nineties. (My photo only captured three of them)

What particularly caught my eye this morning was the piggy that is standing in front of that bench. Would you want to be sitting there??? To be more specific, would you want to be sitting there eating a big Mac? I don't think so! And yet I have seen people sitting at that bench eating their lunch.

Children love to climb over them but honestly, couldn't they have designed something not so farm like, and left the piggies for another location?

They do look realistic though don't they... well, apart from their bronze colour. And that piggy that's looking into the bin has bronze trash to sniff at... yes, that's a real trash can, but the stuff coming out the top is part of the bronze sculpture. A little over the top if you ask me but like a said before, definitely a talking point!

Can we change the subject now?