Day 285 in a Year of my Life

Tonight we attended a triple birthday party for three male friends whose birthdays all fall inside a two week period.

I took some photos, but I only have one to share for now, because it's late.

This is my token offer...

There were lots of kids there tonight and lots of friends.

I had a nice time.

Today, I am grateful for cups of tea with gluten free banana bread and garden swings on a warm Winter's Saturday.

Nite all.

Day 284 in a Year of my Life

Well, I think yesterday's big adventure has caught up with me.  Exhaustion is quickly setting in.

While Adoring Husband was on out SES duty today, I spent most of the time watching movies.  The first was a really nice one with Queen Latifa and Dolly Parton in it, called 'Joyful Noise'.  I missed about 15 minutes in the middle while I hung out some washing and picked some veggies from the garden, but I really enjoyed it.

The second one was an older movie from 1998 with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd called 'The Object of my Affection'.  I enjoyed that one too.

It was a really nice way to relax and regenerate after yesterday's experience on the whale watching boat.

So I'm off to bed before midnight and before I get my second wind!

Today I am grateful for quiet afternoons in solitude, and fresh vegetables from the garden, both of which help me to restore lost energy.

Nite all.

Day 283 in a Year of my Life

This whale season marks our 8th year in a row of whale watching.  Some years we go out twice during the season because we love it so much.

Our favourite boat was called 'Mikat', but this year, it was withdrawn from the whale fleet and from now on, it only does fishing charters out of Gladstone.

This means that we have to find a new 'favourite' whale boat.

So after a little research, Adoring Husband found a boat that had a 5 hour tour (the same as our old 'favourite' boat), but it leaves the marina 2 hours earlier and returns at lunch time.

We thought it would be nice to go out for lunch afterwards.

We arrived at the Marina a little early (because we actually, for the first time EVER, got ALL the green traffic lights along the main road through town!).

It was beautiful and peaceful and calm and serene ...

Who knew what was coming?

Our first surprise for the morning, was the discovery that this boat takes a detour to Kingfisher Resort on Fraser Island to pick up other passengers.  This detour, both ways, takes almost 2 hours from our expected 5 hour tour.  Insert *sad face* here.

Adoring Husband tells me that this little titbit of information was not stated on their website, but I have since discovered that it very clearly provides this information, including the bonus lunch option on Kingfisher.  Insert *smiley face* here.

The water and the weather, up to this point, was glorious, and despite the unexpected detour, we were still excited about our whale watching experience to come.

Then we hit the open water.

Ugh!

Three metre swells!  This is no exaggeration ... I checked the weather website after we arrived home!

This boat powered through these swells at full throttle!  The wash came over the bow so many times and then flowed over the boat, down the sides and into the back of the boat where we were sitting.  The boat bounced and rocked and rolled, while AH and I held on so tight that our knuckles were white.

Our cameras went back into the safety of their bags for the duration and we hoped that they would be removed when we reached the whales.

Oh the trip was loooooooong.  It was sooooooo long.

I almost expected them to turn the boat around and cancel the trip.  I was genuinely afraid and began planning how I would survive the swim to land when the boat capsized!

My jaw was clamped tightly shut (just in case) and I watched that horizon with the intensity of a Jack Russell waiting at the opening of a rat hole.  It kept my stomach reasonably settled.

Finally, we made it to the first pod of whales.  I did get to view them briefly, but the water was still rough and the boat was rolling all over the place.  Our cameras stayed in the bags, and as we turned the boat to head towards the next pod of whales, is when my stomach decided it was time to empty itself.

Ugh!

There was some wonderful whale action out there today, but I could barely lift my head to watch them.

Bearing in mind that time seemed to go on forever (in my nauseas state), I believe that the whale viewing lasted less than an hour before we turned and headed back.

The trip back was also loooooooooong and rough.  I forced myself to doze in and out of consciousness in a seated position, silently praying that we would reach land sooner, rather than later.

It got cold (those who know me, know that I don't generally feel the cold and rarely wear sleeves, even in Winter) and AH was his usual gentlemanly self and wrapped his jacket around me.

We finally made it back to the marina.

Neither of us took a single photo of a whale.  Neither of us had the slightest interest in going anywhere for lunch.  My hair was so windblown, it felt like it was attempting to construct a beehive within itself.  Our faces were splattered with wet salty sea spots.

 What a bedraggled pair we were.  

I estimate that we've been out on the whale boats eleven times in 8 years.  Out of those eleven, we've never been disappointed.  Some years are better than others of course, but never disappointed until today.

Today, I am still feeling a little queasy eleven hours after disembarking, but I am grateful ... to be alive!

Nite all.

Day 282 in a Year of my Life

Apologies for another very short post tonight.

No photos to share ... again.

I've been watching tutorials all day and learning a LOT.

Then tonight, I was messaged by a lady from overseas wanting to buy some of my photos!

Very exciting, but I'm having trouble with one of the photos because I don't have the original on file, so I've been stressing a bit over how to provide a large copy.

She wants actual prints, which I will then send to her in the mail and she is having the frames custom made.

So my brain is working overtime.

The job is not yet complete, it's almost midnight and I have to be up at 5am to go whale watching tomorrow, so I'm off to bed and hopefully, with a fresh start tomorrow afternoon, I will have more success.

Today, I am grateful for facebook, which provided an avenue for me to showcase my work and has generated an amazing sale for me!  I've done no networking and haven't even mentioned that my photos are for sale, so the fact that she has made the request, makes it even more special for me.

Nite all.

Day 281 in a Year of my Life

Adoring Husband and I had a date today.

Lunch at Aquavue on the waterfront and then a movie.

"The Heat" starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.

It was hilarious!  If you can handle the f-bomb, which is dropped too many times to count, you'll get a good giggle out of this one.

Of course we had to get some new treats for SEB the cockatiel while we were in town.

We even got a treat for me!  A nice new set of headphones for my tutorials, so that I can't hear AH when he accidentally tries to talk to me in the middle of photoshop lessons.

So it's been a good day.  Another warm Winter sunshiny day.

Tomorrow I plan to spend all afternoon in my own personal class room.

I am in 'learning' mode and I'm quite looking forward to that.

Today, I am grateful for warm Winter home made soups to end perfect date days.

Nite all.

Day 280 in a Year of my Life

August Photo a Day ...

5.  Early

Our veggie garden is thriving at the moment.  Here is some of it ...

We've already had a meal of beans and asparagus (which we ate with salmon) and I think the first zucchini should be ready in two or three days.

Today was a perfect sunshiny Winter's day.  A little chilly in the morning, but absolutely glorious after 7.30am.  I spent most of the morning out on my trike and didn't get home til midday!

Today I am grateful for such a mild Winter.  It has helped our garden grow and thrive, which in turn, I am hopeful, will allow 'US' to thrive.  There's nothing more delicious than vegetables grown organically, in your own garden.

Nite all.

Day 279 in a Year of my Life

Ok let's try for August photo a day.

Sometimes life gets in the way and my months are left incomplete, but, even starting a bit late in the month, I think I can do this.

Good motivation to get the camera out, because sometimes the morning trike ride doesn't bring the results I hope for.

1.  Something beginning with N ...

2.  Incomplete ...

3.  Skyline ...

4.  Fresh ...

There's a good start.

We saw Number One Son onto the train this morning and he arrived home safe n sound this afternoon.

After we got home from the train station, I went for a Nana nap that lasted for 3 hours!  He must have worn me out!

I'm working on my morning green smoothies and lots of home made soups to get plenty of vegetables into my system and it's time to get my regular dose of morning Vitamin D happening again.

Also, very importantly, time to get to bed earlier each night.  It was 2 am this morning when I climbed into bed ... I blame the coffee that I had at the restaurant at 6.30pm.  I usually don't drink tea or coffee in the afternoon/evening.

However, my bedtime has been getting progressively later and later and then I struggle to get out of bed in the mornings.  I hate that.

Queensland mornings are so beautiful and vibrant and clear and worth getting out of bed early for and I simply must NOT get into the habit of sleeping in, because the best part of the day is gone by the time I climb onto my trike!

Today, I am grateful for Nana naps and home made soups and green smoothies and Vitamin D and vegetable gardens abundant with all things delicious.  That's my life :D

Nite all.

Days 277 & 278 in a Year of my Life

I sincerely apologise for my absence last night .. but Number One Son has worn me out while he has been here and I fell into a deep sleep before 9pm!  Unheard of!

None of our regular group were going to Club last night, due to illnesses (I hope you are all feeling a little better as you read this) and due to holidays, so Adoring Husband and I took Number One Son to the river to do some fishing.

He has never caught a fish ... a keeper ... so he is a little obsessed about doing so.  Unfortunately his efforts, while here, have been fruitless, so he'll have to wait til the next visit!

Not a bad way to end the day.  Feel the serenity?

We also decided to cook a barbecue, at the park, for dinner, so we got to watch the sunset and then the boys ate a mixed grill lovingly prepared by AH.  I was waiting to come home for some of my delicious cauliflower and pumpkin soup.

After we returned home, I had my dinner, and we sat down to watch the football (my team was playing) but by half time, I was falling asleep on the couch, so I abandoned my 'blog updating plans' and climbed into bed.   Zzzzz.

Today was a quiet day spent trying to regain my energy after a restless night of broken sleep (that's what happens when you go to bed too early!).

This afternoon we decided to head into The Bay for the 'Blessing of the Fleet', an annual event that kicks off the whale season in The Bay every year, but which we have never attended.  I think it's the only annual event that we haven't attended since we moved here.

I took my camera and tripod so that I could attempt my first fireworks photograph, but alas, I chose the wrong lens.  I'll definitely attend again next year and I know exactly where I'd like to set myself up for some better shots.

In the meantime, here is one of Number One Son's shots.  Also his first time photographing fireworks and he did it without a tripod, so I'm suitably impressed with his efforts.

He shouted us dinner at a restaurant on the deck by the marina, which was very nice, though it was 'gluten friendly', not 'gluten free', and I found it to be NOT very friendly at all to my poor body.  Still, it was delicious and I've learned that it's a 'no go' in the future.

Number One Son heads home tomorrow and has to be back at work on Monday, much to his disappointment.  It's been nice to have him here, especially because 2 years have passed since his last visit!

Today I am grateful to have had the opportunity to spend some quality time with all of my kids this year.  We all live so far apart, it's difficult to co-ordinate our lives to get time together, so this year has been pretty special.

Nite all.