A Big Day Out

No ... not THAT 'Big Day Out'!  Just 'A' big day out for Adoring Husband and I.

It started with a very pleasant bus ride into town (Rocket Rod was not driving today) and I thanked the driver for providing me with my first enjoyable bus trip into The Bay for weeks.  He was very pleased and thanked me for saying so.

I spent an hour with Vegan Chickie, the Bare-chested Chef and Chicklet.

Chicklet played with her stackable boxes, her golliwogs, read a book, practised some words, giggled a bit, talked a bit, crawled a little, did some walking until she was all tuckered out and had to have a nap.

After her nap, I had about 20 more fun minutes with her, before Adoring Husband arrived to pick me up and we headed off to Maryborough for a photo shoot.

Our plan was to get a good shot for our flickr challenge this month.  I failed to do that.  I got some OK shots for my other challenges, but nothing that I would happy to submit for the flickr challenge.

I don't think Adoring Husband was happy with his shots either, because the last thing I heard him say was "we still have six days don't we?".  I assume from those words, that he wants to try something different.

So here are my Maryborough shots so far.

Railway to nowhere

The view from Muddy Waters Cafe/Restaurant where we had lunch.

There may be others later.

We arrived home quite late, around 4pm.

The football started at 4.30pm and it was Super Saturday, so we had 3 footy matches to watch.  Adoring Husband doesn't know it yet, because he went to bed early, but his team 'Cronulla Sharks' won their match 20-14.  He'll be very happy about that.

The Multi-cultural Festival is on in The Bay tomorrow, so we will probably duck in for a look.  I need photos of 'a colourful market stall' and 'a parade', so hopefully I can get them tomorrow.

Definitely time for bed now - I almost needed a nana nap after we got home this afternoon.  I am feeling decidedly weary tonight after our big day out!

Nite all

Happy Birthday Vegan Chickie

Even though I'm going to visit Chicklet and Vegan Chickie tomorrow, I wanted to see her for her birthday today ... as I told her, this may be the last birthday I get to spend with her for  a while, because they plan on moving as soon as they can afford it!

So we drove into The Bay and went to the Cheesecake Shop to get a Black Forest Cake, because that is one of Vegan Chickie's favourites and then we met for coffee at one of the restaurants downstairs from their home.

It was a short visit, only an hour, but it was important, for me, to spend some time with Vegan Chickie on her special day.

I even got to cuddle Chicklet for a little while, until she decided to go off and explore the area, with the Bare-chested Chef hot on her heels.

Happy Birthday Mumma

Look at my amazing eyes!

Happy Birthday Vegan Chickie!!

After the visit, we drove to the Butcher where Adoring Husband had won a voucher, so that we could spend it before it expired and then came home.

It was raining ... again.

Got an early start tomorrow, so ... Happy Birthday Vegan Chickie ... Olive Juice xx

Nite all.

Life Events

It feels very strange to talk about certain life experiences in here... and then receive kind comments from people who care.  It kind of jolts me and triggers a mini grieving process.

I was taught to be tough.  Don't cry, or 'I'll give you something to cry about'.  Talking about such things is 'attention seeking' and I should stop being a sook, shut up and just 'get on with it'.

As I get older, I look back on my life and the events that shaped me, and more and more, I wonder how I survived to this point.

There are so many traumatic events in my childhood that were 'shoved under the carpet', so many times that my life was dramatically tampered with, and looking back, I don't remember ever having any control over a single life decision.  

Today, I started a time line from my first memory as a three year old, to help pinpoint all of these events and how they may have affected me.

One day, I may share it in here, but for now I need to process it myself.

I know that there are people out there whose childhoods were a lot worse than mine, but today, I felt sad for me and all that I had to contend with as a child.

To the people who read this blog and who care enough to either comment or email, to lend me your support whenever I open up about something new in here, I thank you.

I cry every time because you say the nicest things :D

ANYWAY!!!  Enough melancholy!!  Let's get this show on the road!

Sadly, it rained today, so no riding and no photography for me.  I have updates on the challenges and an old photo that I played with and want to share.

March photo a day challenge ...

21. Delicious (my favourite salad)

22. Kitchen Sink 

104 challenge ...

A Flower Garden - Photo 72 of 104

Me mucking around with an old photo.

An ocean snail and a garden snail.

It's pouring rain again now, and even though I made arrangements to play golf with Woman of Many Talents tomorrow, I believe that after tonight's rain, the course will be too wet to play on.  I think I will text her tonight and cancel.

I just looked at the Bureau of Meteorology website and the radar shows a very big rain event over the top of us right now with heavier than usual rainfall.  The road to golf will probably flood.

My big road trip is only 3 weeks away now.  I think I'd best start making a 'to do' list.  So much to do, so little time!

It will be another life event ... I'm planning on it being a good one!

Nite all.

Allow me to expose myself

My little brother writes a blog.  He is still doing it tough after losing his soul mate in October last year, to a brain tumour.  He writes very honestly and from the heart.

He began his new blog with the title 'Allow me to expose myself' and he gave lots of interesting facts about himself, which also included some sad and scary stuff from his past.  I knew most of it, but I thought it was an interesting beginning to his life journal.

So I thought about 'exposing' myself here.  I've thought about it a lot.

I can't expose myself as honestly as my brother does.

Taking into consideration the people who I know read this blog regularly, there is stuff that I couldn't or wouldn't share with them.  Not because I don't trust them with the information, but because some of it would be upsetting for them (and I don't just mean you Grannymus), and then I would be worried about how they were feeling.  I don't want the worry.

So I can share 'some' stuff ... but not 'all' of the stuff.

• I am short.  155cm or 5' 2" in the old scale.
• I was sexually abused as a child.  The first time, I was aged 8.
• I went to 17 different schools while travelling around Australia in a caravan with my parents.
• I was a competitive swimmer and was fast enough to enter the Australian Championships, but my interest in boys took precedence.
• I have struggled with fluctuating weight all of my life.
• I was the oldest child in my family.
• I have no tattoos.
• I have never had a driver's licence (I had my 'L's at age 27 but it expired)
• I have been married twice, with a 12 year relationship in between.
• I have given birth to four children, had two miscarriages and one termination.  
• My first baby died of SIDS at 16 wks of age.
• I love photography.
• I like frogs (a lot).
• I'm a good listener.
• I worked for the CES and Centrelink combined for 16 years (and loved it).
• Even though I wasn't diagnosed until I was 45 yrs of age, I believe that I have suffered from depression my whole life.
• I don't trust Doctors.
• By the age of 45, I had lost both of my parents.
• Apart from the odd marijuana joint (maybe 6 in my life),  I have never used recreational drugs (unless you count tobacco or alcohol).
• I'm a lounge lizard sports junkie.
• I met my Adoring Husband in a free 'over 40s' internet chat room.
• I hate camping.
• I hate talking on the phone.
• I hate celery.
• I hate housework.
• I love being a grandmother.
• I love Spring.
• I love rivers and oceans and clouds and trees and nature's happy energy.
• I love my life.

So there's some 'stuff'.  Stuff you may or may not have known about me.  Some heavy stuff, but mostly light stuff.

I have been quite distracted tonight and am thinking that I probably should have left this particular post for another day when I could focus properly on it, however, what's done is done now.

So perhaps it's been more of a sneak peek than actually exposing myself.

Maybe another time.

Nite all.

Challenge Photo Updates

March photo a day challenge.

16. Sunglasses

17. Green

18. Corner of your home.

19. Funny

20. Before and After

104 Challenge.

A Snail - Photo 70 of 104

A Landscape - Photo 71 of 104

Today's effort with the new wide angle lens.

Toogoom Tyre at low tide.

I enjoyed morning tea with the girls today and got to meet Mrs Bucket's BFF.  I wasn't sure she actually existed because she always pulled out of planned visits at the last minute, so I teased Mrs Bucket that she had an 'imaginary' friend.

Today, it was proved that she was real, and I liked her a lot!

Adoring Husband and I changed our minds about the movie today and drove into town for lunch and to do some shopping for the garden and for some 'gluten free' food for me.

I am 99.9% certain that I am either gluten intolerant or Coeliac.  I don't visit doctors because I don't trust them, so I am trying a gluten free diet for 6 months to see if it makes a difference to my health.

The good thing about gluten intolerance and Coeliac disease, is that diet will fix both and medication is not required.

So, we will see.  If it doesn't make a difference, then I will re-think my options.

So that's my update for today.  So many challenges and so many photos to take!

Life is good :oD

Nite all.

Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder

I was feeling a bit out of sorts this morning.  Not unwell.  More like 'out of sync' with my world.  Almost like I'd lost a connection.

So my time at the Seat of Knowledge didn't feel quite as relaxed as it should and I was itching to leave there much earlier than usual.

As I climbed onto my trike, I didn't feel compelled to head in any particular direction and as I attempted to make a decision, all I wanted to do was go home.

This is very unusual, as you well know.

The highlight of my every day is the morning ride around town searching for photographic opportunities.

But not today.

I was reminded by one of my boys that his wife was still waiting for me to photograph her orchids which were now in full flower.

I had arranged twice in the last week to do it and then forgot to go, so this was my last chance before the flowers began to die, and that would leave my friend feeling disappointed.

She wants a copy of the photograph to give her mother for Mother's Day.

So I did some quick grocery shopping, dropped them off at home and then rode on to visit some orchids.

They are quite spectacular and a beautiful colour.

On the way home, I was riding along the footpath, and almost squished a snail.  As I swerved to miss it, I remembered that I had 'snail' on my 104 list, so I turned around and took my camera out.

While I was crawling around on the footpath trying to get a good angle on the snail, it occurred to me that I could pick the damn thing up, take it home and place it in any position that I wanted for a photograph (doh!).

So I picked myself, and the snail, up off the ground and we made our way home, where I forced him to be my model for about 30 minutes.  This was the result.

Snail - Photo 70 of 104

I've never found snails to be attractive creatures, but today, I saw snails in a whole new light.  They really have some lovely detail and textures and are very interesting to watch move around.  I like how the photos turned out.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Some may find the orchids boring and the snail beautiful ... who knows?!

That was the extent of my photography for the day.

I hope that I find the motivation and enthusiasm to do more tomorrow.

Adoring Husband and I are going to the movies tomorrow, so maybe we can find something to photograph in town.

This months challenge for our photography group is 'wide angle'.  Perhaps we can work on that.

Enough for now.

Nite all. 

Lazy Rainy Sunday

What do you do on a lazy rainy Sunday?  Absolutely nothing!

My bedtime wish for a rainy Sunday morning came true and I got to sleep in til 8am.

Upon inspection this morning, Adoring Husband reported that we had 70 ml of rain in the twenty four hour period from 9am yesterday.  It has rained intermittently all day, so it will be interesting to read the rain gauge tomorrow.

Apparently The Bay had it's highest rainfall in a 24 hr period in 30 yrs!  What a rainy year it has been!

Another afternoon of football - I believe that after the third round, I should give footy tipping away.

I created a footy tipping competition on the Wide World of Sports site and invited seven other people to join me.  I am on the bottom of the ladder.  So sad.

I was once so good that I won my work tipping competition three years in a row!

I've lost my footy tipping mojo.

My lazy day was also filled with some more shots of Chicklet that I found from yesterday.  I forgot about the teddy bear shots that I set aside, until Vegan Chickie reminded me.

This is her favourite teddy bear and she looks so cute when she holds him up and makes him dance.

She is at that age where she learns so fast and every week I notice big changes in her.

Anyway, my wish for tomorrow is that the rain clears and I am able to get out on my trike for a little while ... I also need to get some washing done, so a little sunshine for a couple of hours would also be nice.

I'm happy to say that I am on track to be in bed well before 1.30am.

Nite all.

It's All About Timing

It was pouring with rain when I had to walk to the bus stop this morning.

I had an umbrella packed in my bag, but so that I wouldn't have to carry a wet umbrella on the bus, Adoring Husband walked with me to the bus stop with two big golf umbrellas, and then took them both home after I boarded the bus.

The rain stopped just before the bus arrived (it's all about the timing).

Unfortunately, Rocket Rod was my driver this morning and he drove even more carelessly than usual in the wet conditions.

Luckily, just before we got to the road that scares me the most, a slow driver in a ute pulled out in front of us and Rocket Rod had to slow down (it's all about the timing).

I am not a religious person, but I prayed that we would arrive in The Bay safe and sound!

I think I have no choice but to lodge a complaint with the bus company about his driving.  To fear for my life once every week is not an option and dying in a bus crash is not on my 'to do' list in this lifetime!

The next bus driver, who took me to the pier, drove so slowly that I was sure I could have slow jogged faster than the bus was moving ... however that is more preferable than fearing for my life.

I arrived at the pier right on the turn of the tide (it's all about the timing), so the water was like glass and the dark clouds and blue sky was reflecting so beautifully in the water.

 

I got some lovely shots with my new wide angle lens, but also missed some great shots because I didn't take my 400 mm lens.

 
I missed the birds dive bombing into the glassy water catching their breakfasts.  Actually, I took some shots with my smaller lens, but they were very disappointing.

The heavens opened about five minutes after I arrived at Vegan Chickie's place (it'a all about the timing) and it didn't stop for the whole three hours that I was there.

Little Chicklet put on a good show for the camera today, little treasure that she is.

Balancing bubbles (it's all about the timing).

Blowing at the bubbles.

Be serious, just for a second.

Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout.

A giant burst of HAPPY!

I got to see her take a few steps and then dive at Vegan Chickie like she was a trampoline!

After my Chicklet 'fix', Adoring Husband picked me up in the downstairs carpark so that I wouldn't get wet in the rain and we drove to the supermarket.  The rain stopped as we pulled into that carpark (it's all about the timing).

We had lunch, did our grocery shopping and then drove home in more rain!

An afternoon of football and home made pizza made with a gluten free, organic base, topped the day off nicely.

It is still pouring with rain and it's way after midnight and I'm watching a movie that I want to see the end of, so I won't be in bed til 1.30am.

I hope it's still raining tomorrow morning, so that I won't feel guilty about sleeping in.

Let's hope the timing stays on my side.

Nite all.

The Trek Continued

I love low tide!  When the water recedes so far that you can walk for an hour and still have dry feet.

Searching for puddles and rock pools full of sea snails, shells, tiny fish, seaweed, jellyfish, all sorts of crabs, stingrays, and turtles, all the while hot on the heels of a whole range of sea birds like seagulls, terns, oyster catchers, stints, pelicans and curlews.

Overhead, soaring high, were Whistling Kites, Brahminy Kites and White Bellied Sea Eagles, none of which were interested in my tasty herrings!  Ugh!

There was even a goanna sunning himself on the rocks before I went for my seventy minute walk along the beach.

I took a lot of photos today, but none with my new lens.  I also deleted a lot of photos today that didn't make the cut.

I followed the Sea Eagles up to the Lion's Park but they disappeared after that, so I took a couple of photos before I returned home to Adoring Husband, four hours after I had left home this morning.

So I hope that today is the start of a beach walking habit that I can continue for life!

But tomorrow is Chicklet day, so there will be no walking along the beach in the morning ... perhaps in the afternoon, if I can find the motivation - I am not an afternoon person.

Right now, I have two football matches to watch, including my beloved Broncos.

Nite all. 

The Wide Angle Trek

I was excited to pack my new lens in the back pack before I took off for my morning ritual.

My first practise run.

Tide's out at the Lion's Park beach

It's very different to use.  Who'da thunk that all the different lenses could all be so different to use!  I think this one is going to be great on the road trip for all the landscape and scenery shots.  My imagination is already going crazy!

March Photo a Day Challenge ..

104 Challenge ..

Still Life - Photo 69 of 104

Me, just playing around ..

Bird Prints in the sand.

Lorikeet in the park

Whistling Kite whistling.

I enjoyed my morning with the camera but I was home earlier than usual because it got so hot, I thought I was going to expire!

Adoring Husband and I watched Breaking Dawn Part I today.  It was better this time than when I saw it at the movies, but I still think the wolf scene was cheesy and tacky.  Now I start the countdown for Part II, which is released in November this year.

Sadly, the Twilight series will then be over :o(

Chicklet walked today!!  For the first time.  There'll be no stopping her now and I can't wait to see her on Saturday ... before she starts running!

I am going on another wide angle trek tomorrow.  The tide will be out again in the morning and I will have longer to walk along the sand flats before the tide turns back in.

I hope that the White Bellied Sea Eagle will be out looking for food because he is my main aim tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.

Nite all

Return to Paradise

Adoring Husband returned home today and despite one aborted landing, his plane touched down safe and sound on the tarmac in the pouring rain.  He did not enjoy the flight and he was very happy to be home!

Earlier in the day, I had driven into town with Woman of Many Talents, and she dropped me off at Vegan Chickie's place.

I got to spend the morning with my little Chicklet, who provided hours of enjoyable entertainment.  She is growing up so fast and is SO close to walking but doesn't even realise it.

She has lots of words in her vocabulary, speaks a second language (not exactly sure what it is - perhaps Martian or Neptunian??) and is full of energy.

I adore her.

Adoring Husband, Vegan Chickie, Chicklet and I had lunch at The Bayswater, which was very nice - even though the weather was still very rainy.  The Bare-chested Chef joined us for a while as well, but he was preparing to go to work.

We said our goodbyes and then drove past lots of localised flooding on our way home.  Quite amazing considering there had only been 30 ml of rain.

After we arrived home, Adoring Husband gave me my Breaking Dawn dvd.  Well actually, he didn't have a chance to give it to me because I snatched it out of his hand so fast that he didn't know what hit him!

Then he told me to sit down and close my eyes, which I did obediently.

He placed a gift wrapped package on my lap with a card.  The wrapping paper was white with gold hearts and the card was a beautiful anniversary card inside which he had written lovely romantic sentiments.

Our anniversary isn't for another 6 weeks.

I unwrapped (more like 'tore apart') the package and there, to my delight, was a Canon wide angle lens!  Wonderful!  Adoring Husband wanted me to have it for my road trip next month and thought I might like to practise with it beforehand.  What a treasure :o)

I am spoilt.  I deserve it.  Oh yes I do!

March Photo a Day Challenge ...

... and that is all for today.

Adoring Husband had a busy and hectic week in Sydney, catching up with mates, spending time with his Mum for her birthday and joining in birthday celebrations with other friends.

He is, however, very pleased to return to paradise.

Nite all

Nana Naps Rock!

Dennis the Menace gave me some Herring this morning.  They were in a little ziplock bag.  They were especially to feed the Eagles and Kites.

There were two Kites in the tall tree near the Seat of Knowledge, so I tossed a Herring into the river under the tree and it sunk!

Why does this happen to me?

When the men toss their old bait fish out of the boat, they float.  Why do my dead fish sink??

So, I rode down to the Lions Park, parked my trike under a tree, and walked along the beach to the trees where the Kites sometimes sit.

I took a Herring and tossed it onto the sand just down from the trees and then I sat on a small sand hill with my camera at the ready.

I kept my eye on the trees, waiting for the Kite to appear.  After about 15 minutes it appeared alright ... from behind me instead of from the trees!

It hovered high above the fish for about 30 seconds.  I had the camera focussed on the fish and I had one eye looking through the view finder and while the other tried to keep the bird in view so that I could time my shot.

It swooped down so fast!!  I fired off a few shots hoping to capture him in a couple of frames, but when I checked, there was only one frame with him in it and it is very blurred...

Next time I will use a different lens and a faster shutter speed.  The potential was there!  You will see the improvement with the next shot - which I will get before the end of the week!

I had morning tea with the girls today, which I always enjoy :D

This afternoon, I was feeling decidedly weary, so I decided to have a nana nap before my 'date' with the gang (fish and chips at the park for dinner).

I climbed into bed at 2.45pm.  There was a deliciously cool breeze coming through the bedroom window and the neighbourhood was very quiet.  Even Psychotic Dogs didn't make a sound!  I slept until my alarm woke me at 4.15pm.

It was the best nana nap ever!

When I woke up, I quickly made my salad - watermelon, tomato, cucumber, avocado, onion, walnuts and rocket.  I threw two bottles of cold water in the bag along with a fork and a sachet of french dressing.  I grabbed my camera bag and jumped on my trike to pedal to the park.

There were lorikeets everywhere I looked!  So I stopped a couple of times to get some shots.

March Challenge.

14. A Sign

104 Challenge.

Devonshire Tea - Photo 68 of 104

Tomorrow is Chicklet day, so I'd best get to bed.  The nana nap rocked, but now I could probably stay awake til 2am!  Wish me luck.

Nite all.