Day 176 in a Year of my Life

Bubbles cooked dinner tonight!

Tacos - with an abundant choice of fillings.  Lettuce, tomato, onion, grated carrot, grated cheese, tomato salsa sauce and sour cream.

It's been so long since I had tacos, about 3 years I think, and I thoroughly enjoyed them!  I've also never tried them with sour cream or grated carrot, but I will definitely be having them like that in the future.

Thanks Bubbles :)

Adoring Husband and I had another morning of shopping, replacing a broken kettle, toaster and vacuum cleaner.

The afternoon was then spent grooming the psychotic dogs.

Hair cuts and baths all round.

Here is a photo, compliments of Bubbles ...

I think it took more than 2 hours to do all three of them.  A big job, but so worth it!  Now they look and smell like clean dogs, instead of like nobody owns them!

We have to do some furniture moving early tomorrow morning before the carpet layers arrive, so I might unpack the side board tonight before I go to bed.

So to take up a bit of space tonight, I will share some more quotes ...

I think I really need to start taking better notice of some of these quotes myself :)

Today, I am grateful for a full, happy, sunshiny day of sharing the family love.

Nite all.

Day 175 in a Year of my Life

Here I sit, at 4.40pm, in my white office chair, at my shiny new desk and surrounded by lots of colourful happy things, writing my blog post early.

Everything that needs to find a new home in my work area, is still packed in either the spare bedroom, or the container that's parked in the back yard.

Small steps.

The carpet gets laid in the lounge room on Monday and then we will begin unpacking everything and putting it all in it's rightful place.  There are just a few little loose ends around the outside of the house that the builders have to tidy up, and we will almost be back to normal.

Bubbles is still here and will be a big help over the coming days while we get organised.

In the meantime, she is having a lovely and relaxing time on her holiday.

It's nice to have her here.  The psychotic dogs think so too and even though you can't see them in this photo ... they have barely left her side since she arrived!

Adoring Husband is now resting quietly (insert 'sleeping') in the new recliner lounge chair in the lounge room, after another big day of assembling and housework and a trip to the tip to get rid of an abundance of packaging.

I've had a wonderful day sitting here and enjoying the ambience of my new work space.

My first priority, once everything is unpacked, will be to finally complete the Road Trip Photo book from our (BGWLBH and I) road trip last year.  It was supposed to be a gift for her 50th birthday and I doubt if I'll even get it finished before her 51st birthday!!

Sometimes life gets in the way doesn't it?!

I can almost feel new energy beginning to stir in my veins!

Today, I am grateful for a fresh beginning.  Though the tornado was traumatic, it has forced us to de-clutter and re-assess and cleanse.  I feel better for that.

Nite all.  

Day 174 in a Year of my Life

It's been another full day.

Riding the trike this morning, drive into The Bay, shopping, a movie, more shopping, rushed home in time to get ready to go for our weekly outing to the club.

I'm sitting at my new desk as I write this.  We bought the chair today and Adoring Husband assembled it after we got home tonight.

I'm so tired after two nights in a row of 1am bed times, so this will be very short and sweet tonight.

Now that I have a work area, I expect my posts to be a little more substantial and written earlier in the day.

I'll take another photo tomorrow to show how my work area is coming along.

I'm very happy and very excited to have it usable now.

Today I am grateful for Adoring Husband's obsessive personality that makes him work his little bottom off until the job is done.  He has gone above and beyond the call of duty and I appreciate his efforts.

Nite all.

Day 173 in a Year of my Life

Adoring Husband filled his day by assembling the rest of my office furniture for my work area ...

Now I have to get a chair and find all of my 'stuff' that is packed in boxes in various places through the house.

Even though AH is feeling quite ill with a virus, he still spent the entire day putting it all together for me.

Thanks darling :D

I'm very excited to have my work area almost ready to work at.

Bubbles and I are off to the movies tomorrow, to see 'The Host'.  We'll even get a little shopping done before hand.  I'm looking forward to it.

So it's bed for me - I need my beauty sleep.

Nite all.

Day 172 in a Year of my Life

Bubbles is here!!

I think the Psychotic Dogs missed her...

They were very excited when they saw her and ran around in circles and huffed and puffed and jumped up and down and in and out of her arms.  So funny to watch :)

It's been a big day!

The house is now full of my studio furniture awaiting assembly.

Adoring Husband spent tonight assembling two pieces.  I think it might be a big week for him and I can't wait to have everything set up ready to use.

Sorry for another short post, but once again, it's almost 1am so I'm off to bed!

Today, I am grateful to have Bubbles here.  I forgot how much I missed her until I set eyes on her walking across the tarmac and my emotions bubbled over just a touch.  *sniff*

Nite all.

Day 171 in a Year of my Life

The highlight of my day was morning tea with the girls to celebrate Beauty's birthday ...

Beauty

Actually there were a couple of highlights.

I saw my boys this morning.

Morning tea with the girls at the park.

A brief meeting with a whistling kite building a nest .. but I didn't have my camera ready :(

We sold our Mazda and the couple brought the money to the house this evening and took the car - YAY!

Tomorrow, my Bubbles arrives for her holiday, so I'm off to bed.

Today I am grateful for a day full of small highlights.

Nite all.
 

Day 170 in a Year of my Life

"When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself.  When nobody else compliments you, then compliment yourself.  It's not up to other people to keep you encouraged.  It's up to you.  Encouragement should come from the inside."

I have no idea who said that.

It's excellent advice.

I wish I could follow it!

I'm going to try.

So now I experiment.  I mean REALLY experiment.  I expect that some photos will look way 'over the top'.  I am going to post them here anyway!

Hopefully, through experimentation, my photos will gradually morph into spectacles of artistic creativity that are so awesome that at first glance you will all gasp at my awesomeness!!  (Please practise that in your spare time)

In the meantime, I am grateful for Chicklet phone calls.  Giggles and squeals and chats.  I heart her.

Nite all.  

Day 169 in a Year of my Life

Looking for a desk or a work station.  White.  Large.

I've searched online and haven't found anything that's just right for my needs.

It's becoming a point of frustration.

Ugh!

This evening, the sunset was brief but beautiful.  I raced, on my new trike, to the lagoon and got this shot...

Here's another shot from my weekend in Brisbane ...

I've got so much to learn about photoshop.  I have tutorials on 'hold' to watch.  I have magazine articles to read and follow instructions from.  I have videos of photographer's seminars to watch.

All of this is waiting for when my work area is ready.

I am champing at the bit, to sit at my desk and focus on all of the creativity that's screaming to escape from within!

Patience is a virtue, or so I'm told.

The perfect 'set-up' will suddenly appear and I will be a happy chappy.

Today I am grateful for breakfast barbecues on a Sunday morning with good friends.  The smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the barby and the sound of happy laughter as we catch up with news and feel the love.

Nite all.

Day 168 in a Year of my Life

In case you haven't been for a look, here is the link to my new photography page in facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/ImagesByRozG

Adoring Husband and I had another big day in The Bay today.

My new trike stood proudly on the trailer coming home ... as the rains came tumbling down!  I wasn't very pleased about that, but I'm looking forward to taking it for a spin in the morning.

I'm pretty happy with my footy tipping so far this weekend ... 5 out of 5!  I'm quite a bit behind everyone else, so I need a couple of good weeks to catch up.

Yay for Super Saturday ... that's three NRL games in a row to view on Foxtel.  Two of them live!  Gotta love it.

Meanwhile, AH is snoring loudly on the couch beside me.  Obviously excited and stimulated by three good games of footy.

In between games, I played with one of the Brisbane photos ...

Today, I am grateful for cool Autumn nights that make it so easy to sleep under the covers like snuggle bunnies.  That's where I am heading right now.

Before I go ...

•♫♪ Happy birthday to you! •♫♪

•♫♪ Happy birthday to you! •♫♪

•♫♪ Happy birhtday dear Knight in Shining Armour •♫♪

•♫♪ Happy birthday to yoooooooou •♫♪

Busy month for birthdays!


Nite all.

Day 167 in a Year of my Life

My team is losing by 2 points with ten minutes left of the game!  Holding my breath!  (NRL footy)

Adoring Husband and I spent the entire day in The Bay today, attempting to replace the contents of our house that we lost in the tornado in January.

Carpet - check.

1 x lounge suite - check.

Trike - check.

Fridge - almost check.

2nd lounge - almost check.

My team is now winning by 2 points with four minutes left of the game!

Studio chair - check.

Photo taken with my iphone while AH paid for the purchase :)

It's so comfortable and relaxing to sit in and I look forward to reading in my sunny corner in the mornings while gently swinging beside the open window.  *sigh*

Still looking for a work station/desk.

My team just won by 2 points!!  Yay!

I'm feeling absolutely exhausted tonight.  Big day out.  Big night at the club.  Big night of footy.

Time for bed ... but first ...



*•♫♪ Happy birthday to you *•♫♪

*•♫♪ Happy birthday to you *•♫♪

*•♫♪ Happy birthday dear Bare-chested Chef *•♫♪

*•♫♪ Happy birthday to you!!!! *•♫♪

Nite all.

Day 166 in a Year of my Life

We are so close to having everything completely repaired in our house.  So close!

The few days that I was down south were incredibly productive for all of the tradesmen who were here and today was 'inspection day'.

There were some major and minor issues that Adoring Husband wanted resolved and the inspector found a problem that we hadn't even noticed.

So it will be a little longer yet before it's finalised.

The new air conditioning unit was installed today.

Tomorrow we choose the new carpet.

Our 'contents' insurance claim has been approved as well.

It's all happening!

Soon our lives will be as close to 'back to normal' as possible.

I think it will be a long time before we lose the obsession to check the Bureau of Meteorology radar every day.

It'll also take time to control the fear, whenever strong wind gusts make that sound that triggers the memory of 'that night'.

I hope time will stop us from holding our breath when the rain is so loud on the roof that we can't hear each other speak.

I imagine that eventually, we won't feel dread when Livio from Channel 7 weather, issues strong wind warnings for the next day or for the weekend.

It will be nice when we don't feel nauseous at the sight on the news of another town somewhere in the world partially destroyed by a freak tornado, big or small.

I would really like the question of whether we should continue living here, to be wiped from my mind.

I would really like 'peace of mind'.

I think that has to come from 'within'.  I'm not sure that moving is the answer.

These and many more questions will be answered over time.  I know that time heals most wounds,  I just wish it took a bit less of it to do that!

Today, I found that life is definitely moving along nicely at the lagoon across the road ...

The lagoon is obviously a happy place for it's residents!

Today, I am grateful to have a solid and strong roof over my head, knowing that the weather forecast for the weekend is for .. you guessed it .. gale force winds of 30 - 40 knots.

*sigh*

Nite all.

 

Day 165 in a Year of my Life

The moment that you've all bee waiting for!!

Isn't she amazing?!

When I arrived on Saturday, I got to their gate (it's a gated resort) and I had sent a text to let them know I was there.

As I waited at the gate, I saw Vegan Chickie and Chicklet come around the corner.  I was watching Chicklet and as she looked up and saw me standing there, the biggest smile lit up her face.  It was such a beautiful welcome.

She's such a treasure and when Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef left for their day out on Sunday, she looked up and said "Bye my friends.  See you later."

She is such a joy to look after, because she communicates so well and she's happy and hungry to learn, so she is intrigued with every new word, every new song, every new action, every new dance.

It's a fun challenge to come up with something new that will capture her attention.

She started to miss her Mama and Dadu about half an hour before they arrived home, so we had a great day and two easter eggs kept her happy for that last half an hour.

Next week, Bubbles arrives from Sydney for a couple of weeks, so we will head down to spend time with the Chicklet family while she is here.  Can't wait!

Today I am grateful to be Bozzy Wozzy to Chicklet.  She will always make my heart sing.

Nite all.

Day 164 in a Year of my Life

As Adoring Husband informs me ... I have been very slack lately with my blog!

I seem to leave it til late at night and then my brain doesn't function well enough to create anything worth reading.

I had such a great weekend, but it's too late (again) to write about it tonight.

I hope to work on my photos of Chicklet tomorrow, so I can tell you all about our day together while Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef had their own time together .. a rare occurrence!

In the meantime, a couple of other photos that I worked on today.

This lady was hard at work on the sidewalk beside the river on Friday.

I wasn't going to share this one because I'm not happy with it .. but I guess that if I make changes, then I'll share the finished product with you as well!

The house is coming along nicely.

We had our Foxtel rewired and the new satellite dish installed today.

We still need our new carpet laid and the air conditioning installed.

Once it's all finished, we get to go shopping to replace the contents that were destroyed in the disaster.  I'm not sure if that's going to be fun or not!  I'll get back to you on that.

Then the final touch will be the garden which has been sadly neglected with all the building going on.

It's now midnight, so I'm off to bed.

Nite all

Days 162 & 163 in a Year of my Life

Just some photos to share...

I have quite a few more to get through yet, so this is just a taste for now.

I'm home after a fantastic weekend catching up with friends and family, and on which, I will elaborate tomorrow.

So much has happened in the past few days ... I hope that I remember it all!

Nite all.

Day 161 in a Year of my Life

I am alive :D

I am grateful for like-minded photography friends who are in for a good old fashioned belly laugh.

A great night was had by all tonight .. even though the sunset shoot fizzled due to clouds and rain, we all walked to a nearby Malaysian/Thai restaurant and had dinner together.  I had a lot of fun.

I hope to be posting photos from the weekend by Monday night and it's even possible that by the end of next week, I will have my work area in some kind of order, and ready to actually work in, so it's possible that I can spend some quality time working on my blog.

I have a big babysitting day planned with my little Chicklet tomorrow, so now I need to sleep so that I have the required energy to fulfil my duties!

Nite all.

Day 160 in a Year of my Life.

Having a fabulous time.  Taken heaps of photos!  Met lots of people.  Drank two bottles of wine and ate the teeniest, tiniest dinner ... two fresh prawns, one slice of smoked salmon, four cubes of beetroot, 4 cubes of capsicum jello vinaigrette and a couple of lettuce leaves = $22.00.  The wine dulled the pain though :)

Today I am grateful for laughing hard enough to get cramps in the ribs and have tears streaming down the cheeks.

The Nikonian is sleeping so soundly .. no movement and no sounds ... I think I need to nudge her to see if she is still breathing!

She is ... whew!

Nite all.  

Day 159 in a Year of my Life

A drama filled morning, with the train 2 hours and 15 minutes late, because power lines were down just south of Bundaberg.

Especially stressful for Adoring Husband because he didn't want to leave me alone at the station without knowing whether the train would turn up or not.. but needing to be at home by 7am to let the painters and plumber into the house.

It all worked out in the end and I arrived at Nambour Station at 10.15am where the Nikonian picked me up and brought me back to her home.

She kindly spent some time teaching me some Photoshop techniques and then we decided to head up to Montville for lunch and to visit 'The Master' at his gallery ...

http://www.naturesimage.com.au/page/86685/

Three hours later, we decided to scrap our photography plans for the afternoon and head home to cook dinner.

The day may have started out pretty stressfully, but has ended on a most enjoyable note and I'm feeling happy and relaxed tonight.

So relaxed, that I'm having an early night in preparation for our big trip to Brisvegas tomorrow.

Sorry, no photos to share today, but watch this space over the next few days!

Today I'm grateful for a safe and very pleasant train trip down south, with extremely friendly and helpful staff on board.  All is forgiven :D

Nite all.

Day 158 in a Year of my Life

Whatever happened to that 'to-do' list that I was going to make?

Soooo ... it's 10pm and I haven't made my list and I am only half packed.  I leave at 5am tomorrow.  What does this equation do to your stress levels??

I've always said that I do my best work under pressure!

So I'm off to do my best work and I'm going to leave you with the winner of the 2013 Macquarie Photography Prize ...

'Feed Me First' by Chan Kwok Hung

I gasped in awe when I saw it and I aspire to this level of photography!

Today I am grateful to have 5 days of photography fun and Chicklet delight ahead of me, and I thank Adoring Husband for holding down the fort and taking care of our psychotic dogs, and Helen the lovely layer, while all the building and mayhem continues around our house.

Nite all.  

Day 157 in a Year of my Life

Today, I am grateful for 'to do' lists, because that's what I am going to have to do tomorrow.. make a 'to do' list so that I know what to pack for my trip away.

I know I should be grateful for more important stuff than that, but I'm tired and so is my brain.

Psychotic dogs are even asking to go to bed!  That's my sign.

On that note, a follow up photo from yesterday's beach cricket shot.

Game Over

Nite all.

Day 156 in a Year of my Life

I have spent the evening playing in photoshop and time got away from me!  I can't believe the time, so I will simply share one photo tonight.

A photo that I took this afternoon after I left Aussie H's place.  We had happy hour there and then I rode down to the beach where I found a game of beach cricket in progress - just before sunset.

Today I am grateful that the Easter break is over and that a lot of the tourists who were here for the fishing classic have left town.  It should be a little quieter now, just the way I like it.

Nite all.

Day 155 in a Year of my Life

No sign of the eagle today.

As I was riding home this morning, after my coffee by the river, I stopped at the lagoon and was thrilled to hear the familiar sound of Fairy Wrens ... which I have never heard at the lagoon before!  Usually, I have to ride to the other side of town and down a dirt track to find Fairy Wrens.

So I crept around with my camera trying to spot them.  Twice, I spotted a female, but she hid behind the dried twigs of a dead bush, so I couldn't get a clear shot.

Now that I know they are there, I am going to spend a bit of time at the lagoon for the next few mornings to see what I can come up with.

In the 15-20 minutes that I was there, I saw Fairy Wrens, Willy Wagtail, Sparrows, Water Fowl, Shags, Noisy Friar, Peaceful Dove, Top Notch Pigeon, Two varieties of duck, Grey Egret, White Egret, Ibis, Peewee, Kookaburra, Butcher Bird, bees, 3 varieties of dragonfly and wasps.

The lagoon is full of flowering lilies too.

I quite like this one, but wish I had better focus on the wasp.

I just found this one on Facebook and I like it.

Today I am grateful to be living across the road from a very healthy lagoon and I look forward to adding to the list of living creatures that I discover during Autumn and into Winter.  Just imagine what Spring will bring!!

Nite all.