Day 86 in a Year of my Life

For your viewing pleasure ...

For your perusal ...

There was no pretty sunrise for photographing this morning - try again tomorrow!

Nite all.

Day 85 in a Year of my Life

Adoring Husband has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease.

We are still processing this information.

There is much to learn and much to consider.

Information to read.

Medication to regulate.

Possible alternative therapies.

Possible dietary changes.

Lifestyle changes.

Family and friends to advise.

Life goes on, with just a little more awareness.

Today I am grateful for this diagnosis, because other possibilities would have been much more difficult to deal with.  This, we can handle.  Just add TLC.

Nite all.  

Day 84 in a Year of my Life

Caught the sunrise this morning.  Might even try for another tomorrow morning!

I'm not enjoying Summer very much.  The heat and I don't see eye to eye.  Adoring Husband and I find ourselves closing up the house and surviving under the air conditioner.

Needless to say, a quiet day in front of the telly watching tennis and cricket.  No more Aussies left in the Men's or Lady's singles tennis, after Federer gave Tomic a thrashing this evening.

The cricket is still on right now, but I won't be seeing the end of it.  I've been up since before 4am so my body is pulling me towards a bedroom and a pillow as we speak.

Today, I am grateful to have healthy eyes.

Two of our friends have been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration and one of those friends may not be able to drive as of next week.  He has to give away his weekly golf and can no longer read the newspaper.  I can't imagine how difficult that must be.

Nite all.

Day 83 in a Year of my Life

Almost everyone in the world is now addicted to 'Pinterest'

For those of you who haven't heard of it or seen it yet, here is the link to my Pinterest page, which   is only in it's youth and is small compared to many others.

http://pinterest.com/rqqzy/

It's a lot of fun to play around in and you can find all sorts of interesting things like recipes, patterns, gardening tips and ideas, home decor, fashion, photography, nature, and the list is endless.

I only play in Pinterest about once a month, but when I'm in there, hours pass before I even realise it ... which is why I don't go there too often!

The sky was too clear this morning, to go in search of a sunrise shot, so I returned to bed after my initial investigation (looking out the window) this morning.

I'm led to believe that the weather is changing overnight, so hopefully, a sunrise will be on the cards, which means I need an early night.

The worse thing about Summer, is that the sun rises before 5am ... we all know how difficult it is to get out of bed before 4.30am to beat the sun!

One photo to share.

Today, I am grateful for our support network.  The people who care enough to lend their emotional support in our times of need.  (I will share further in a couple of days).

Nite all.

Day 82 in a Year of my Life

I woke up.

I rode to the bakery and boat ramp.

I rode home.

I watched the tennis.

I did a load of washing.

I watched some more tennis.

I spent quite a bit of time in facebook.

I watched a movie with Brad Pitt in it.

I ate dinner, which was cooked by Adoring Husband.

I watched some more tennis.

I am now going to bed before 10am.

I hope to wake early enough for a sunrise tomorrow morning.

I would like to share two things that I saw in facebook today.

I am finished for the day.

Nite all.

Day 81 in a Year of my Life

Begin rant:

We drove to Bundaberg this afternoon for an appointment.

The drive home was one of the more frightening experiences of my life, and probably Adoring Husband's life as well.

The first we noticed, was in the rear vision mirror and we witnessed a B-double truck, driving at well over the speed limit on the wrong side of the road, overtaking a number of cars.  Nowhere was there a gap where he could safely pull into the correct lane, if oncoming traffic appeared.

Eventually, the car that he was overtaking, had to brake and create a space for him to pull in behind us.  The nose of the truck would only have been 10 feet from the back of our car and I think I'm being generous in my estimation, because he felt a lot closer.

We were driving on the speed limit of 100 kmh.

Soon he felt the need to overtake both us, AND the semi trailer in front of us.  We estimate that he was driving on the wrong side of the road for at least a kilometre and the truck in front also had to brake to give him room to pull into the lane and avoid oncoming traffic.

My heart was pounding and Adoring Husband was feeling the heat too.

This is not the first time that we've had issues with truck drivers on this road.  They take unnecessary risks to overtake and they tailgate dangerously.  We always travel at the speed limit, so there is no need for them to overtake.

Essentially, it means that they are driving above the speed limit at all times because they quickly disappear from our sight after they've passed us.

I wish that I'd had my wits about me and used my mobile phone to video the experience.  I could have taken it to the police station, posted it on facebook or youtube, sent it to a television station, or somehow got the appropriate attention and action to stop this driver from putting our lives at risk in the future.

I don't think it's fair that I feel stressed every time I know we have to use the highway to go somewhere, because the road is full of dangerous, careless, inconsiderate truck drivers.

End rant.

Today, I am grateful and relieved that we arrived home safe and sound after such a harrowing experience.

To finish - What do you call a lazy baby kangaroo?  A pouch potato :D

Nite all.

Day 80 in a Year of my Life

Today, I got all my taxes up-to-date.  I was a bit behind ... like 8 years, but I only worked for two of those years, which makes it not so bad.  So now I start fresh!

I watched tennis all day - poor Adoring Husband is not pleased about this and the three psychotic dogs are enjoying his company in the family room, for the duration.

This afternoon we headed down to the park for a barbecue with friends.  I had such a nice time and while we were eating our dinner, a tawny frogmouth flew down and tried to steal something from one of the picnic baskets!!

I don't know if there was a bug in the basket or if he was trying to get something else, but it was amazing to see!  Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera at the ready, because it was the last thing I was expecting to happen!

Unfortunately, by the time we got home, the only Aussie playing tennis tonight had just finished his match - on the plus side, he won, so at least I get to see him play again on Thursday.

No photos today because it was raining this morning, but I was going through some old photos and found this one from last year when the flickr group came up here for whale watching.

This is the son of one of the girls in the group.

Today, I am grateful for Summer afternoons spent with friends and doing the Aussie barby thing. A big thank you to Kaz's girl, The Absent Aussie,  for baking delicious gluten free red velvet cupcakes for our dessert :D

I'm about to turn into a pumpkin because it's well after midnight, so I'm off to bed.

Nite all.

Day 79 in a Year of my Life

The dreadful bushfires throughout New South Wales have wiped out all the bushland and national parks where BGWLBH and I enjoyed our road trip last year.

The bush walks are now burnt bare.  People have lost their homes.  The worst fires in ten years have destroyed 40000 hectares and are still burning.

According to the news tonight, the fires were so intense and fierce that they created their own weather pattern!

I can't begin to imagine experiencing something like that.

My second piece of bad news today is that the State of Queensland has already lost 14 people in  road accidents this year.  That's one person each day since the year began!

The third piece of bad news is that my son's ex father-in-law passed away yesterday.  Such a sad day for the family and under terrible circumstances.  May he rest in peace.

Now for the good news.

Woman of Many Talents became a first time Grandmother today to a little baby girl.  She sent me a text with a photo of the beautiful little addition to the family and she is divine!

I'm so excited for them all and I know that she is getting as many cuddles as she can while she's with the new family.  Congratulations to you all!

The second piece of good news is that The Artist and her husband attended their daughter's wedding in Melbourne this weekend.  Congratulations to the happy couple!

The third piece of good news is that Number One Son turns 31 years of age tomorrow!  Happy Birthday son :D  I hope you have a good day!  Pace yourself and make it last.

I found a bee on the sunflower this morning ...

It was another failed sunrise.  If at first you don't succeed ... try, try again!

Today, I am grateful that the tennis has commenced and I get to watch two weeks of my favourite sport, without having to stay awake all night, while the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam is under way.

Samantha Stosur won her first round match today.  Lots of Aussies lost their matches, including Lleyton Hewitt sadly.

It's going to be a long two weeks if the Aussies fail me!

Nite all.

Day 78 in a Year of my Life

I have a mini obsession at the moment.

It's with that gloriously beautiful single sunflower that I have found in town.

Tomorrow, I am going to get up early before the sun and capture this wonderful flower in the early morning light - perhaps with some morning dew.

Here are my attempts so far...

I am now trying to convince Adoring Husband to plant out our back yard like a field of sunflowers AND then paint sunflowers all over the inside of the timber fence that surrounds our property.

Imagine waking up to that every morning!?  That would put a smile on your face for sure!

I know that's not really going to happen, but I would like to grow a few in on of the garden beds out the back.

Today, I am grateful for one of nature's happiest creations and one that is bringing me great photographic joy during it's short lifetime.

I remember in my youth, I dreamt of owning a kitchen that was decorated in sunflower yellow and white and I imagined the morning sun streaming through large windows and creating a perfect, happy morning glow while I ate my breakfast.

There is still time :D

Nite all.

Day 77 in a Year of my Life

New Years Resolution for 2013 "To become a little healthier and fitter".

Rule number one for bringing this to fruition:

DO NOT DRINK A BOTTLE OF WINE IN ONE SITTING.

Rule number two for bringing this to fruition:

THINK BEFORE YOU EAT AND DO NOT ACCIDENTALLY EAT GLUTEN.

Had a fabulous time with The Nikonian and surely all that laughter, that is so good for the soul, negated some of the toxins that I ingested?!

The psychotic dogs decided that she was OK ...

We missed the sunrise this morning and after The Nikonian left, I spent the rest of the day trying to recover.

Lots of water.  Some sleep.  Some food.  Some Panadol.  Plenty of rest.

Today I am grateful that the day is over and I am feeling less toxic this evening, than I did this morning.  I am grateful for the lesson learned - everything in moderation and pace yourself!

Nite all.

Day 76 in a Year of my Life

The Nikonian is here.

Two bottles of wine.  A failed sunset.  Chat overload.  Delicious dinner.

Found this early this morning.

Gotta get up early in the morning for sunrise and it's already 11.45pm.  So I'm off to bed.

Today, I am grateful for visits from friends.  Not so grateful for drinking two bottles of wine, but the friends bit is fabulous!!

Off to bed.

Nite all.

Day 75 in a Year of my Life

What a long night.

I set my alarm to wake early for the sunrise, but for some strange reason, I was awake every hour on the hour and couldn't seem to relax into a deep sleep.

So again, I was up at 4.20am and out the door within 30 minutes.

The sunrise still didn't quite reach my expectations and my Tawny Frogmouths were nowhere to be seen, so I tiptoed up to my favourite Cassia tree near the Seat of Knowledge and spent some time trying, with my camera, to capture a bee enjoying the pollen in the flowers.

Thank goodness for the bee, because it was my only real success for the morning.

I was almost eaten alive by mosquitoes and sandflies and spent a good 30 minutes scratching and rubbing my legs - until I picked up some dry sand off the beach and rubbed it over the bites.  They seemed to miraculously stop itching after that.

While I was pedalling along the river path, the strangest thing happened.  I stopped the trike to check my phone because I felt like Adoring Husband was trying to contact me.  There were no messages, so I continued on.

Just as I passed the next tree, I looked up and saw Adoring Husband on his bike waiting for me!

Very weird and very unusual for him to be out riding at this time of day (or any time really!).

So we went to the bakery much earlier than usual to get coffee and we were served by one of the bakers.  I don't think I'll do that again.  He was the worst coffee maker ever lol.

So after a long night of trying to sleep, it was then a long morning at the Seat of Knowledge and I was feeling very tired as I made my way home well before 8.30am.

It's now 8.25pm and I believe that I can be in bed by 9pm.  One more time with feeling tomorrow for sunrise.  A few showers are forecast, so perhaps there will be some interesting cloud about.

Today I am grateful to have received a lovely phone call from Number One Son, who was out walking and sounded much brighter and happier than I've heard him for a while.  There was definitely a smile in his voice.

Nite all.

Day 74 in a Year of my Life

Last night, I went to bed three hours earlier than usual, believing that I would naturally wake up around 3am or 4am, and would rise early enough to catch the sunrise and play with the soft morning light.

My sleeping history has shown that I cannot sleep longer than 5 or 6 hours, because my back doesn't like being horizontal for longer than that.

So, I woke at precisely 2.20am and needed to visit the bathroom.  This was just a tad too early to head out on the trike, so I climbed back into bed and promptly fell asleep.

The next time I woke, was 6am!  That's more than 8 hours sleep with only one interruption!  Unheard of!!

I missed the sunrise, which by all accounts, was a non-event anyway.  Didn't get to the Seat of Knowledge til after 7.30am.

Here are my photos from today.

There is a story that goes with the White Breasted Sea Eagle shot, but to cut it short, I didn't even see him until he was low in the swoop, so I only just got the camera up in time to press the shutter, hence the poor quality shot.

What's worse, is that he dropped the fish on that first swoop, but I didn't see that, because I was checking the back of my camera to see whether my shot was successful.

When I next looked up, he was swooping again, but this time I could not get my camera up fast enough and I completely missed the shot.

Soooooo frustrating!  However, it really was beautiful to watch.

I am off to bed earlier than usual again tonight.  I'll make it to bed by 10pm and this time I will set my alarm.  I WILL wake up tomorrow for sunrise!

My other plan for next week is to make an 'Inspiration Board'.

Apart from lots of weekend photography trips, we have nothing else 'big' planned for this year, so I am seriously going to think about what I want to achieve with my photography, among other things and create an inspiration board that I can look at every day and be 'inspired' to make it happen.

We will find out what is happening with Adoring Husband's health, at the end of next week, then we can focus on making him as well as possible and make some solid plans for our year.

Adoring Husband and I cooked a delicious Thai Green Curry together tonight, with a green curry paste that we bought in Maleny, while on holidays on the Sunshine Coast.  We used chicken and prawns and vegetables and thoroughly enjoyed the end result.

Today, I am grateful for our 'together' cooking times, even though AH has a little trouble letting go of control in the kitchen... but he is getting there :D

I think I should definitely leave the 'presentation' to him though - I simply have no presentation skills with food.  He, however, is creative and artistic and makes food look too good to eat!

Nite all.

Day 73 in a Year of my Life

I actually got out of bed at 4.10am, looked out the window to check the cloud formations, because we all know that clouds are important for a good sunrise!

There was some nice fluffy and wispy clouds forming above and toward the East, so I got ready and by 4.40am I was on my trike and pedalling toward the river.

I've decided that the light is just so beautiful at that time of day and I'd like to get out every day at that time.  Especially in Summer.

It means that I can get a couple of hours of photography in while the light is so lovely, then go grab my coffee and head to the Seat of Knowledge for an hour or so and still be home by 8.30 or 9.00am before the day gets too hot.

This, however, means earlier nights to bed!

So here I am before 9pm, already yawning, sharing my day and my photos, so that I can go to bed and begin the snore-fest.

The new flickr challenges for January are 'Sunrise or Sunset' and 'FUN'.  One should be very simple and the other might require some brain work!

Today I am grateful for Chicklet voicemails (have I been grateful for them before?).  When I don't hear my phone and later find voicemails from Chicklet, it brightens my day so much.  I love the sound of her voice :D  I had two voicemails today.

Nite all.

Nana's Pantry

NEVER go to Nana's Pantry on an empty stomach!!

https://nanaspantry.com.au/

... and make sure you have plenty of time to browse!

You will find everything from the healthiest foods to the least healthy foods - of which we bought an abundance of both.

I shopped there while Adoring Husband took the new car in for it's first service.

I had my arms full of goodies and decided that I'd best stop and go to the counter before it got out of hand.  I estimated roughly that I probably had well over $50 worth of stuff.  The lady tallied it up and I was pleasantly surprised to see the total was only $30.

So, I dumped the goods in the car and AH and I went back to Nana's and spent another $15, which again, was less than we expected.

Everything is priced per kg and even though they have scales so that you can calculate as you go, we didn't do that ... my head automatically and instinctively calculates as if I am in our usual supermarket.  So it's a pleasant surprise to find everything is so much cheaper than expected!

I got lots of gluten free stuff.  Pastry mix.  Bread mix.  Tri-coloured Quinoa.  Dried peas for our next pea and ham soup cook off.  Vegetable chips - which are just like potato chips except made with zucchini, carrot, eggplant, beans, potato etc.  Too many gluten free lollies and chocolates to mention.

Love that shop.  It'll definitely be a regular stop on shopping days.

I hope to be up bright and early for a sunrise tomorrow.  I awoke early this morning and glanced out the window to see a beautifully coloured pink sky with lots of purple and orange puffy clouds scattered about.  I was too tired to find any enthusiasm, but it's the third morning in the last week that the sky has looked pretty, so I'm going to take my chances tomorrow morning.

Which is why I'm getting this post done before 9.30pm - an early night for an early rise!

I've been trolling through heaps of other people's blogs tonight.  It's amazing how many blogs are still sitting idle that haven't been touched for more than two years.

Some of them are so interesting - I almost joined a couple of email lists, just in case the person came back to continue the blog.

Ok, I'm done with all this yawning.  See you tomorrow - hopefully with beautiful sunrise shots.

Nite all.

 

Day 71 in a Year of my Life

Well, the boys loved the photo of their belly buttons and only one of them could identify his own belly button!

More strange weather today, but I got these photos before the rain came again.

On my morning ride I ran into quite a few people who I haven't seen since a few months before Christmas, so it was nice to stop and have a chat and catch up.

Then another day of cricket.  Australia won the Test and there was another Twenty Twenty Big Bash game between the two Melbourne teams which was pretty close.  Tennis is finished for a couple of days.

An uneventful day really.

I am grateful for uneventful days because we have got quite a few appointments coming up in the next week or so and we will be 'on the go' and probably dealing with a little bit of emotional stuff.  We need days like today just to 'be'.

Nite all.

Day 70 in a Year of my Life

What a strange start to the day.

It was overcast when I left the house this morning and Adoring Husband was washing the car (that should have been a clue right there!).

I was at the Seat of Knowledge for about an hour when the first shower of rain hit.  Heavy enough for me to cover my camera bag with the plastic rain poncho

Luckily, I had already taken the series of belly button photos that I had been challenged by The Nikonian, to take!

One of the subjects in this week's mini challenge that The Nikonian set, is 'fluff'.  So I decided to take photos of the belly buttons that belong to the boys at the Seat of Knowledge ... because we all know that fluff gets trapped in belly buttons!!

I made a very attractive collage ...

Ok, so it's not THAT attractive.  The oldest belly button here is 82.  Only one of the boys declined to have his belly button photographed and the other four had already left before I arrived this morning.

I photographed the Tawnies before I headed off to the beach.

Unfortunately, a mini storm hit while I was stranded way out on the beach at almost low tide.  Strong winds and heavy rain and I couldn't move fast enough over the wet sand to get to shelter!  Here I was struggling in my thongs and wet glasses and trying to protect the camera under my clothes!

If only someone had a camera to take THAT photo!

I was heading home in the rain, when it stopped as abruptly as it began.  So I decided to go looking for the kangaroo that one of the locals had told me about.  A kangaroo with a joey in it's pouch that had apparently been hanging around on the edge of the national park that borders our town.

It didn't take long to find her, but she had two male guardians that kept me at a safe distance.  Having heard a news story recently where an elderly man had been attacked by a buck in a town about 15 minutes from here, I decided not to take any chances.

Further up the road, I went in search of the Fairy Wrens.

Then it was time to head home, later than usual.  Adoring Husband thought I had run away from hime!

Test Cricket has been on TV all day - Australia V Sri Lanka.  Twenty twenty Big Bash cricket is on tonight - Hobart Hurricanes V Adelaide Strikers.  After this is the tennis.  A deliciously full day of sports for the dedicated lounge lizards that Adoring Husband and I are.

Today I am grateful that I am able to recognise that my life is wonderful and I am happy!

Nite all.

Day 69 in a Year of my Life

Today's smoothie:

Half a small papaya, a dozen grapes, a chunk of fresh pineapple, 1 carrot, half a stalk celery including the leaves, 2 T lemon myrtle yoghurt, 1 cup water, hand full of ice cubes and 2 t Vital Greens powder.  Makes three glasses.  The colour is not pretty, but it tastes fabulous!

I went for a walk along the beach this morning.  The tide was out and I got a couple of nice beachy shots.

These blue jelly fish are thick in the water, bringing with them, lots of sea lice.

For the 'photo a day' challenge.

Possible submission for a competition themed 'Tree'.

The rest of Australia is sweltering in record breaking heat (temperatures over 40C) and there are bushfires destroying homes and properties.  There are also huge seas caused by recent cyclone activity off the East coast which are contributing to injuries and near drownings.

Today, I am grateful to be living in one of the few areas of Australia where the temperatures are reasonable and a breeze continually blows through the house.  Where there are currently no bush fires and no dangerous seas (aside from the over abundance of blue jelly fish).  We are so lucky!

Nite all.

Day 68 in a Year of my Life

This morning I made a delicious smoothie.

In a blender - 6 frozen strawberries, 1 cup watermelon, half a lime (peeled), 1 carrot (head removed), half an apple, 12 grapes, 2 T lemon myrtle yoghurt, 1 cup of cold water and a handful of ice cubes.

DELICIOUS.

All that pulpy goodness - except for the sticker that I forgot take off the apple!

Today I bought a huge range of fruits and vegetables that I can use in smoothies and I plan on making a different one every day.  Today there was enough for two big glasses, so I had one for breakfast and the other with lunch.

I just remembered that I have this to add to my smoothies ...

http://www.australianvitamins.com/products/view/874  It's been in the campervan pantry cupboard since we returned from holidays!  Must get it out tomorrow!

I'm going to experiment more with light nutritious lunches and I need to change my afternoon snacking habit from GF chocolate biscuits or potato chips, to something more beneficial to my health.

I need food that is going to give me more energy, instead of lulling me into nana naps on the couch every afternoon.  Food that will activate my brain instead of putting me in the 'zombie zone' by mid afternoon.

Today I am grateful to have found the motivation to make a start on my new year's resolution to be a little fitter and healthier this year.

It takes three weeks to create a new habit.  Watch me do it.

Nite all.

Day 67 in a Year of my Life

OH JOY! OH JOY!

It's tennis season in Australia!!

It's difficult to choose which television channel to watch!  Channel Ten has the Hopman Cup being played in Perth.  Tonight is the Serbian - Djokovic V the Aussie - Tomic.  I'm not a fan of the Aussie player but for the sake of patriotism, I am supporting him.  I do like Djokovic, so I don't mind if he wins :D

Then on Channel 7TWO we have the Brisbane International where there is a men's match in progress.

Next week, we have the Moorilla Hobart International, the Apia International Sydney, and then after that the World Tennis Challenge commences in Adelaide.

All of these tournaments lead up to the Australian Open in Melbourne which commences on 14th January and ends on 27th January.

Love my tennis and I'm looking forward to seeing the Aussies play well this year.  Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur are my favourites to watch, but I like to see any of the Aussies do well of course.

Just wanted to share a few inspirational and/or funny quotes that I have found in 'Pinterest' lately.

Today I am grateful for the Australian Tennis Season, when I can watch tennis all day and half the night and still get a good night's sleep - unlike The French Open in May/June, Wimbledon in June/July and the US Open in August/September, when, if I want to watch the tennis, I have to stay up all night - a difficult task as I get older!

Off now, for my 2nd early night in a row!  It's part of my new year's resolution - becoming a little 'healthier and fitter', includes getting plenty of good solid sleep!

Nite all.

Day 66 in a Year of my Life

Adoring Husband and I kind of 'slid' into the New Year very quietly in the comfort of our lounge room.

We started at the local club and we'd been looking forward to the night, knowing that all of our friends would be there with us to share the occasion.

The best way to bring in the new year, is surrounded by friends or loved ones... everybody knows that!

The food, hot nibbles, which were served in single cardboard chinese containers to each individual, was less than average.  The majority of the crowd were served fried curry puffs, mini spring rolls and other mini fried pastries.

There were three of us who required 'gluten free' foods and we were given some tasteless felafels, two mini gluten free party pies and some potato wedges.  Also less than average.

I had two glasses of white wine and a jug of iced water.

The music started off very slowly with country music and old time songs from my parent's era.  By 10pm it had moved up a notch, but not enough to provide much enjoyment or entertainment for Adoring Husband and I.

The weather was muggy after some heavy showers and not much ventilation was provided.  Most windows had to stay closed because of the rain.

Just after 10pm Adoring Husband and I decided to call the courtesy bus and make our way home. Eight of our friends chose to join us on the bus and there were another 9 people waiting for the bus to return to the club and take them home too.

As disappointing as it was to not spend the celebrations with all of our friends, we really loved seeing in the new year together in the comfort of our own home.  Quietly and very happily.

For the month of January, I'm once again doing the Photo a Day challenge.  Day One ...

1.  Today

and the other challenge for the year is to have a 'Happy Jar' and whenever something especially happy or wonderful happens, we write it down and place it in the jar.  The aim is to have a jar full of wonderful moments to remember on New Years Eve 2013.  Here is my happy jar...

Today, I'm grateful for new ways to be reminded of the happy times.  Aiming for a positive and happy life in the coming year.

Nite all.