Days 236 and 237 in a Year of my Life

Did you miss me?

My apologies for not posting yesterday.

I've had a bad week, with a couple of crappy things happening, and I was ready for my usual few Friday wines.

Yesterday, after I'd had breakfast, I didn't eat all day, so I went to the club with a very empty stomach and then proceeded to drink 4 glasses of wine.

Bad move.

It DID help me sleep though!  I fell unconscious onto the couch until Adoring Husband physically assisted me to bed, where I climbed, fully clothed under the doona and slept like a baby until 7am.

Almost 12 hours sleep!

I woke up feeling fine this morning, so no hangover to speak of.

Today was a perfect sunshiny Winter's day and I spent about 90 minutes enjoying it on my trike and on the beach.

I missed a good shot of a really big White Bellied Eagle, but he flew so close to me, the image is burned in my memory forever.

Today, I decided to start a series of self portraits.  It'll be good practise for portrait shots and lighting and using the remote shutter release.

A girl in one of my photography groups has started doing something similar, which gave me the idea.  There aren't too many photos of me around, so maybe one or two of them along the way will be worth sharing in printed form, with some special people.

Today's was a lazy one with very little effort put in for the lighting .. just natural light from the window.  No make-up.  No photoshopping my face.  Warts and all me.  Learning to love all of my lines and freckles.

The 'smile' sign to remind me, after such a crappy week, to lighten up and get back to being happy.

Today I am grateful to other photographers for ideas that I hope will improve my photography.  I'm also grateful to you, my guinea pigs, who have to view the practise shots!

Nite all.

Day 236 in a Year of my Life

It is definitely more difficult to get out of bed on these coolish Winter mornings.

It was 7.30am when I climbed out of bed and well after 8am when I got my coffee.

I pedalled to the beach to drink my coffee alone and spotted two Brahminy Kites about 100 metres apart, just standing on the beach.

I chose the one to the right and as I approached, it jumped up and flew over to a mudcrab that was lying dead on the beach ...

Then I got a bit too close and it flew off ...

to be with it's mate ...

I spent about an hour walking backwards and forwards on the wet sand at low tide.  My shoes were wet and sandy.  My track pants were wet and sandy up past my ankles.

But it was worth it.

It was a nice way to spend the morning and then it was even nicer going through all the photos that I had taken.

I hope that tomorrow is worth another walk on the beach .. I think I'll wear shorts and take my shoes off this time.  Might be a bit chilly on the toes, but much less mess to clean up when I get home!

I sorted through some bags of paperwork and photos today and came across a photo from my first wedding, at the ripe old age of 18.

My brother wasn't quite 15yrs of age and my little sister, who was my flower girl, was 5yrs old.  My parents were both aged 38 yrs, and both no longer with us.

I also found my mother's school reports and dance examinations - she dreamed of being a ballerina.

There was also her old bible.  It was already very old when it was handed down from an Aunty in 1947, with it's cover missing, an old bookmark in the pages and a couple of flower petals pressed and dried between the pages.

I wonder what the petals were from?  A flower that she had found as a child?  A flower from a boyfriend?  I guess we will never know now.

Such a long time ago.

Today, I am grateful for small treasures that are packed away and every few years, opened up and viewed and touched.

Reminders of the things that the people we love have experienced in the past.  Reminders that they were here, and were once a part of our lives.  A reminder that we didn't ask enough questions when we had the opportunity.

That's being just a little melancholy, but really, it made me feel warm and fuzzy.

Nite all.

 

Day 235 in a Year of my Life

Yesterday's visit to the beach at low tide...

Today I'm grateful for dvds.  Old favourites.  Dvds to watch while eating fresh strawberries and cream.

Nite all.

Day 234 of a Year of my Life.

It's sharing day today.

Check this out ... I don't know anyone this age, capable of such awesomeness!  86 Years Old!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjljqReu1I

I can't even do it now, let alone in another 30+ years!

Now for a few little facebook gems ...

Today, I am grateful to Adoring Husband who woke me at 'stupid' o'clock, and dragged me, half asleep, out into the cold for a sunrise that was over before it began.

I could see, as we approached the beach, the final seconds of a fluorescent pink morning reflecting in the wet sand, but sadly it was gone in a few blinks of an eye.

I did get to return, for a brief time, to my warm bed, to reflect on what could have been ... thank you AH for thinking of me ... maybe next time!

Nite all.

Day 233 in a Year of my Life

A couple of shots from the boat racing yesterday ...

One thing of significance happened today, we had a special morning tea to acknowledge one year since our lovely Win passed away ...

... because we love her!

Today, I am grateful to be finishing this blog post before midnight and I hope that I can be climbing into my warm bed inside the next ten minutes.

Wish me luck!

Nite all.

Day 232 in a Year of my Life

We spent the morning out at the lake at the other side of Burrum Heads, taking photos of remote control model boats racing on the water.

I wasn't all that keen to go out there, but the enthusiasm and excitement shown by the guys, was kind of infectious and I quite enjoyed the two hours I spent with them.

I'll post some photos on here tomorrow.

After we arrived home, I was feeling motivated and creative, and for the first time in a year, I made a couple of bracelets.

It was nice working in my new workspace and there was lots of room and good light.  I enjoyed it.

Then, as luck would have it, the sky was looking particularly nice, so I tested my luck and pedalled down to the river for the sunset.

My lucky day!

So, it's been a busy and productive day for both Adoring Husband and I.  Adoring Husband spent a few hours in the garden, working in the Winter sunshine.

What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday.  That's what I am grateful for today.  Free sunny Sundays that we are able to fill doing whatever we feel like!

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

Nite all.

Day 231 in a Year of my Life

I apologise for another very short post.

I had a bad day today, feeling pretty miserable, but I worked my way through it and ended up having an excellent evening with friends.

The local club ran a trivia night, to raise money for the Hervey Bay animal shelter.

A group of ten of us formed a trivia team (even though the teams should have been only 6 people), but unfortunately, we came fourth for the night overall.

 Last year we came 2nd by just one point, but we didn't fare so well tonight.

There was just one low point, when we received a text message from someone, who last year, chose to play trivia with another group of people, but who, this year,  expected us to invite her to our table.

She attempted to make us feel guilty about the fact that we didn't.  That upset us greatly, and we feel that she may be burning bridges that cannot be repaired.  Toxic relationships have no place in our lives.

Enough is enough.

I'm pretty sure that I have mentioned before, I will only allow nurturing relationships in my life.

I want to feel the love.

Not guilt.

Not anger.

Not remorse.

I will no longer make excuses or allowances for the behaviour of others, especially behaviour that is not acceptable to me.

None of my genuine friends EVER make me feel guilty about any decision I make in my life.

None of my genuine friends EVER talk negatively about me behind my back.

I am responsible for my happiness.  Mine and mine alone.

If you have expectations of me, then tell me to my face.  Don't assume that I know what you want from me.

There is so much more that I want to say, but I feel that I have already said more than I should in here.

HERE is generally my happy place, where I share mostly the joyful things that happen in my life, unless there is trauma, like a tornado, and I share that with you as part of my therapy.

I have one photo to share today ...

Today I am grateful for supportive friends who nurture me and share the love, have no expectations, make no demands and never attempt to make me feel guilty or unhappy about anything I have or have not done.

Nite all.