Nite all.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Story of Stuff
Twenty minutes of your time .. just a reminder of how things are .. maybe you'll stop to think and make one small change in your lifestyle .. every small change makes a difference. We can't all do everything, but we can all do 'something'.
A couple of ways that we can make a difference ...
Now back to my studies!
Afternoon all.
A couple of ways that we can make a difference ...
- Buy Local - consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmer's markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in.
- Buy second-hand - consider buying items from a second-hand store. Toys, bicycles, roller blades, and other age and size-specific items are quickly outgrown. Second hand stores often sell these items in excellent condition since they are used for such a short period of time, and will generally buy or take them back when you no longer need them.
- Give it away - Before you throw something away, think about if someone else might need it. Either donate to a charitable organisation or post it on a web site designed to connect people and things, such as Freecycle.org. (This is world wide and Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast and Canberra are all part of the group (not Griffith or Wagga unfortunately) - everything on the site must be free and able to be used)
A couple of photos to share ...
Now back to my studies!
Afternoon all.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Success!
The muffins were a success and Gentleman Jim turned 77 today (not 76 as I thought).
The muffins were such a success that I had to make another batch of them today for Adoring Husband and I. So yummy.
I think Vegan Chickie will love these and Bubbles has already put in her order for when she visits in August.
The alarm was set for an early start and a sunrise, but it was overcast and not worth getting out of bed for.
I got lots of study done today, and spent time on the garden swing, reading text books, so there is nothing new to report.
I did receive a photo of my little Chicklet on a scavenger hunt today.
Apparently this was item number three on the list.
Nite all.
The muffins were such a success that I had to make another batch of them today for Adoring Husband and I. So yummy.
I think Vegan Chickie will love these and Bubbles has already put in her order for when she visits in August.
The alarm was set for an early start and a sunrise, but it was overcast and not worth getting out of bed for.
I got lots of study done today, and spent time on the garden swing, reading text books, so there is nothing new to report.
I did receive a photo of my little Chicklet on a scavenger hunt today.
Apparently this was item number three on the list.
Nite all.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Another Birthday
Not mine.
Gentleman Jim, from The Seat of Knowledge, is having a birthday tomorrow. I think he is 76 yrs old.
Today, I made some 'Chocolate Maple Crunch Banana Muffins' so that I can take one each for the boys to celebrate his birthday for breakfast.
I have eaten four of them today! They are so delicious on their own, but when you cut them in half and spread real butter on them ... O-M-G ... they are my new favourites!
Then this afternoon, while I was in the middle of cooking dinner, I looked out the window and saw a sunset in the making, so I turned the stove and the oven off, threw my camera gear in the back of the trike and pedalled to the river ... just in the nick of time.
Yesterday, when I got to the river for the sunset, I was eaten alive by sandflies, so this afternoon, I quickly splashed and rubbed coconut oil on my arms and legs. I spent 20 minutes at the river and came away without a single sandfly bite!
It's now 10pm and I am off to bed! I am going to set my alarm and get up early for a sunrise in the morning, then have birthday breakfast with the boys, and then spend the entire day studying with enthusiasm.
Nite all.
Gentleman Jim, from The Seat of Knowledge, is having a birthday tomorrow. I think he is 76 yrs old.
Today, I made some 'Chocolate Maple Crunch Banana Muffins' so that I can take one each for the boys to celebrate his birthday for breakfast.
I have eaten four of them today! They are so delicious on their own, but when you cut them in half and spread real butter on them ... O-M-G ... they are my new favourites!
Then this afternoon, while I was in the middle of cooking dinner, I looked out the window and saw a sunset in the making, so I turned the stove and the oven off, threw my camera gear in the back of the trike and pedalled to the river ... just in the nick of time.
Yesterday, when I got to the river for the sunset, I was eaten alive by sandflies, so this afternoon, I quickly splashed and rubbed coconut oil on my arms and legs. I spent 20 minutes at the river and came away without a single sandfly bite!
It's now 10pm and I am off to bed! I am going to set my alarm and get up early for a sunrise in the morning, then have birthday breakfast with the boys, and then spend the entire day studying with enthusiasm.
Nite all.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Motivation
Why am I so lacking in motivation? I have been trying to study for 3 days and just can't get into it. It's happening in spits and spurts and it takes so little to distract me and make me lose focus. Ugh!
Last night, the sky looked very promising for a beautiful sunset, so I pedalled to a new spot along the river, where I have never been to see the sun going down before.
The tide was out, so there was only a small channel of water left in the river, which reflected the light quite nicely, but the sunset itself was quite disappointing.
I met a man who was staying in one of the holiday rental properties with his wife. He was from the suburb of Aspley, in Brisbane, and was keen to tell me about some idvds that he had been making for his family because his mother was turning 90.
He was disappointed that none of the younger family members seemed to want to know anything about her history and never asked her questions. He said that she had wonderful stories to tell and that time was running out for the family to hear them.
It reminded me that I promised a friend that I would do a blog post about the sorts of questions you should ask your older family members before it's too late.
I've had the reminder to do this, sitting on my desk for about a month or more ... I just haven't had the time to sit down and think about it .. I could use that as an excuse to procrastinate when I should be studying!
So I hope to have those questions to post here soon. Not today though.
Today, for the first time in about 4 weeks, I made myself a smoothie.
A bit over a week ago, I made packets of fruit and veggies to put into the freezer, to make it easier when I was ready for smoothies. I used the first one today!
My study has put me into a new schedule and my smoothies seem to have slipped out of the morning routine. I have noticed the difference in my energy levels and how my body is working, so it's time to bring them back into my morning schedule.
Started today and will continue from here on in. Maybe my brain will work better and my motivation for study will return with the new energy!
No more coffee after lunch (which I stupidly did yesterday and couldn't sleep til almost 2am) and I must get myself into better sleep habits.
It's so easy to slip into bad habits if you don't keep focus on your own well being.
I think 'habit' is the operative word here. It supposedly takes 3 weeks to create a habit .. I suspect it takes about the same amount of time to lose one. That's exactly what I've done.
Time to get back on track.
Nite all.
Last night, the sky looked very promising for a beautiful sunset, so I pedalled to a new spot along the river, where I have never been to see the sun going down before.
The tide was out, so there was only a small channel of water left in the river, which reflected the light quite nicely, but the sunset itself was quite disappointing.
I met a man who was staying in one of the holiday rental properties with his wife. He was from the suburb of Aspley, in Brisbane, and was keen to tell me about some idvds that he had been making for his family because his mother was turning 90.
He was disappointed that none of the younger family members seemed to want to know anything about her history and never asked her questions. He said that she had wonderful stories to tell and that time was running out for the family to hear them.
It reminded me that I promised a friend that I would do a blog post about the sorts of questions you should ask your older family members before it's too late.
I've had the reminder to do this, sitting on my desk for about a month or more ... I just haven't had the time to sit down and think about it .. I could use that as an excuse to procrastinate when I should be studying!
So I hope to have those questions to post here soon. Not today though.
Today, for the first time in about 4 weeks, I made myself a smoothie.
A bit over a week ago, I made packets of fruit and veggies to put into the freezer, to make it easier when I was ready for smoothies. I used the first one today!
My study has put me into a new schedule and my smoothies seem to have slipped out of the morning routine. I have noticed the difference in my energy levels and how my body is working, so it's time to bring them back into my morning schedule.
Started today and will continue from here on in. Maybe my brain will work better and my motivation for study will return with the new energy!
No more coffee after lunch (which I stupidly did yesterday and couldn't sleep til almost 2am) and I must get myself into better sleep habits.
It's so easy to slip into bad habits if you don't keep focus on your own well being.
I think 'habit' is the operative word here. It supposedly takes 3 weeks to create a habit .. I suspect it takes about the same amount of time to lose one. That's exactly what I've done.
Time to get back on track.
Nite all.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Puddle Jumping
Oh how I love these photos of Chicklet jumping in puddles .. sent to me today by Vegan Chickie!
I adore her :)
There is a man in town who has bee hives and yesterday I asked his wife to ask him if he would allow me to take photos of the honeycomb for a photography challenge. He wasn't at home at the time, so she said she would ask him when he phoned her last night.
This morning, she called me and told me that he was at home all day today and happy for me to photograph his bees! So after my coffee, I headed over there...
He got stung 3 times pulling the beehives apart and we searched for the Queen Bee without luck. He was very passionate about his bees and I learnt a lot from him today.
Lucky for me, I didn't get stung and I left there, very happy. He told me they can sense fear .. but I wasn't afraid.
I'm off to bed.
Nite all.
I adore her :)
There is a man in town who has bee hives and yesterday I asked his wife to ask him if he would allow me to take photos of the honeycomb for a photography challenge. He wasn't at home at the time, so she said she would ask him when he phoned her last night.
This morning, she called me and told me that he was at home all day today and happy for me to photograph his bees! So after my coffee, I headed over there...
He got stung 3 times pulling the beehives apart and we searched for the Queen Bee without luck. He was very passionate about his bees and I learnt a lot from him today.
Lucky for me, I didn't get stung and I left there, very happy. He told me they can sense fear .. but I wasn't afraid.
I'm off to bed.
Nite all.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Cook Off
No study today.
I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen though and really enjoyed it.
Chicken stock, pumpkin soup and curried sausages with rice. We had the curry for dinner tonight.
I spent a little time in the garden and found a giant passionfruit which had fallen from the vine but was stuck on some branches very well hidden. It had been there for a while because it was obviously old and quite shrivelled.
I wish I'd taken a photo of it before I threw it in the garbage, but I did take a photo of how much meat was in it! Almost a whole cup! It wasn't very sweet, but it was still ok to eat.
That was my #100happydays photo for the day.
There was an egg in the henhouse today. That's 3 days in a row. 'Happy' is laying. Now we just have to convince Hector and Helen to lay!
Adoring Husband arrived home safe n sound this afternoon.
All is right with the world.
Nite all.
I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen though and really enjoyed it.
Chicken stock, pumpkin soup and curried sausages with rice. We had the curry for dinner tonight.
I spent a little time in the garden and found a giant passionfruit which had fallen from the vine but was stuck on some branches very well hidden. It had been there for a while because it was obviously old and quite shrivelled.
I wish I'd taken a photo of it before I threw it in the garbage, but I did take a photo of how much meat was in it! Almost a whole cup! It wasn't very sweet, but it was still ok to eat.
That was my #100happydays photo for the day.
There was an egg in the henhouse today. That's 3 days in a row. 'Happy' is laying. Now we just have to convince Hector and Helen to lay!
Adoring Husband arrived home safe n sound this afternoon.
All is right with the world.
Nite all.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Quietly Does it
Adoring Husband left very early this morning for his trip to Gympie for some more SES training.
I was woken quite early, just after 6.30am, by a concrete mixer next door, laying concrete on their side of the fence, but right outside my bedroom. That was quite annoying, but I got up and went to visit my boys at the Seat of Knowledge. I haven't been down to see them for a few days, so it was nice to catch up.
After coffee, I rode home to make some more chicken soup for Lady Lynn who has also succumbed to the nasty flu/cold that's ripping through town and then I delivered it to her hubby, Happy Harry. I received a lovely 'thank you' text from her this evening. I hope she recovers quickly.
Two exciting things happened to me today.
Firstly, I got the results of my first assignment in Naturopathic Philosophy - 93% - which falls into the 'High Distinction' category! Pretty pleased with that result, all things considered.
Secondly, I found the first two eggs from our new chookies!
That's my #100happydays challenge photo for the day.
I did get some studying done and have been watching football since 3pm, so it's been a pleasant and quiet day for me. I've enjoyed it very much.
I think I'll fall into bed now and possibly attempt to get up for a sunrise .. I do struggle to get out of bed when the mornings are chilly, so I don't like my chances :)
Nite all.
I was woken quite early, just after 6.30am, by a concrete mixer next door, laying concrete on their side of the fence, but right outside my bedroom. That was quite annoying, but I got up and went to visit my boys at the Seat of Knowledge. I haven't been down to see them for a few days, so it was nice to catch up.
After coffee, I rode home to make some more chicken soup for Lady Lynn who has also succumbed to the nasty flu/cold that's ripping through town and then I delivered it to her hubby, Happy Harry. I received a lovely 'thank you' text from her this evening. I hope she recovers quickly.
Two exciting things happened to me today.
Firstly, I got the results of my first assignment in Naturopathic Philosophy - 93% - which falls into the 'High Distinction' category! Pretty pleased with that result, all things considered.
Secondly, I found the first two eggs from our new chookies!
That's my #100happydays challenge photo for the day.
I did get some studying done and have been watching football since 3pm, so it's been a pleasant and quiet day for me. I've enjoyed it very much.
I think I'll fall into bed now and possibly attempt to get up for a sunrise .. I do struggle to get out of bed when the mornings are chilly, so I don't like my chances :)
Nite all.
Beasts
How amazing would this be!?
My new handbag ... a late anniversary gift from Adoring Husband. I love it AND it will fit my camera very nicely on our lady's luncheons.
That is all for today :)
Nite all.
My new handbag ... a late anniversary gift from Adoring Husband. I love it AND it will fit my camera very nicely on our lady's luncheons.
That is all for today :)
Nite all.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Waiting
It seems that my assignment is stuck on the submission page .. and I'm not sure why, so I've sent an email to the 'powers that be' to find out what I can do about it. I can't delete it. I can't send it. I can't edit it.
So today has been a day of waiting. Tomorrow will also be a day of waiting. They promise a 48 hr response to emails.
I had a late start to the morning because it was raining and it was cool weather .. who wants to get out of bed on a cool wet morning, when there is no need to? Adoring Husband bought me a coffee and the local newspaper and I enjoyed an extra hour in bed.
I did get a few hours of study in, but I don't feel like I achieved much today. I have big study plans for tomorrow and especially the weekend.
My #100happydays photo for today ...
... my river makes me happy every day!
Nite all.
So today has been a day of waiting. Tomorrow will also be a day of waiting. They promise a 48 hr response to emails.
I had a late start to the morning because it was raining and it was cool weather .. who wants to get out of bed on a cool wet morning, when there is no need to? Adoring Husband bought me a coffee and the local newspaper and I enjoyed an extra hour in bed.
I did get a few hours of study in, but I don't feel like I achieved much today. I have big study plans for tomorrow and especially the weekend.
My #100happydays photo for today ...
... my river makes me happy every day!
Nite all.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Improving
Update on yesterday's post ... swelling and pain has eased, lumps in glands gone, but neck still a little tender, mole drying up ... treatment continuing.
Today's #100happydays challenge submission...
'Happy' the chook has developed a healthy red comb - a sign that she will soon be laying eggs .. which makes me happy!
... it will possibly be my 'Repetition in Nature' challenge pic too (due to the feather formations and patterns), but I still have 17 days to work on that one.
Today, I did some study, made some chicken stock (in the slow cooker for 18 hours), cooked marinated (home made) lamb chops with cauliflower puree, roasted beetroot and cherry tomatoes with green beans and fried haloumi, for dinner.
Lazy night in front of the telly .. bed time any minute.
Nite all.
Today's #100happydays challenge submission...
'Happy' the chook has developed a healthy red comb - a sign that she will soon be laying eggs .. which makes me happy!
... it will possibly be my 'Repetition in Nature' challenge pic too (due to the feather formations and patterns), but I still have 17 days to work on that one.
Today, I did some study, made some chicken stock (in the slow cooker for 18 hours), cooked marinated (home made) lamb chops with cauliflower puree, roasted beetroot and cherry tomatoes with green beans and fried haloumi, for dinner.
Lazy night in front of the telly .. bed time any minute.
Nite all.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
A Day of Rest
I have a mole on my face .. on my chin .. and after a heavy bump to it on the weekend, it became infected and I could feel the glands in my neck swollen and quite hard. The mole itself was also swollen, hard and painful to touch.
I figured that things could get quite serious if I didn't try 'something' to fix it .. and you all know how I hate doctors!
I know that vitamin C is a healing vitamin and I know that kiwi fruit has masses of vitamin C, so I ate my last 4 organic kiwi fruit last night.
Magnesium is required for many reasons, but it gives your body energy. Energy to heal itself. So I massaged magnesium oil into my neck and around my glands ... clearing the glands is important to avoiding further infection and a couple of the 'natural' websites suggested this.
I mixed raw honey and apple cider vinegar together, both of which have strong healing, natural antibacterial qualities and are used as natural antibiotics, so with a cotton tip, I painted the mixture onto the mole 3 times a day.
I'm also drinking LOTS of water to help my body remove the toxins.
I only started doing this last night before I went to bed and I can already feel the difference. The swelling in my neck and chin has eased a little and the mole has reduced in size. I can still feel the tenderness, so I need to continue with my experimental treatment and hopefully, I won't require any medical assistance.
I must say that I have been constantly chanting to my body (inside my head) telling it to get better and telling it that any other treatment is not an option .. mentally spreading the white healing light through my body.
Also, I decided to have a quiet relaxing day without study or stress, to hopefully give my body lots of good healing time.
So far, so good. I will keep you posted.
Today, I found out that my friend Kaz was sick with the flu, so I came home and made some chicken soup for her. I used home made chicken stock from my freezer and I blended roasted capsicum, carrots, pumpkin, celery, onion, garlic, spinach, chilli, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, salt, pepper and honey to add to the stock.
Lots of goodness, to hopefully help her body heal faster.
I got Adoring Husband to drop it off at her house, on his way to the SES shed tonight.
My photo for the #100happydays challenge was this one ..
Catching birds in the act of doing their 'thing' makes me happy. This is a Fig Bird.
So that's my day. Back to study tomorrow.
Nite all.
I figured that things could get quite serious if I didn't try 'something' to fix it .. and you all know how I hate doctors!
I know that vitamin C is a healing vitamin and I know that kiwi fruit has masses of vitamin C, so I ate my last 4 organic kiwi fruit last night.
Magnesium is required for many reasons, but it gives your body energy. Energy to heal itself. So I massaged magnesium oil into my neck and around my glands ... clearing the glands is important to avoiding further infection and a couple of the 'natural' websites suggested this.
I mixed raw honey and apple cider vinegar together, both of which have strong healing, natural antibacterial qualities and are used as natural antibiotics, so with a cotton tip, I painted the mixture onto the mole 3 times a day.
I'm also drinking LOTS of water to help my body remove the toxins.
I only started doing this last night before I went to bed and I can already feel the difference. The swelling in my neck and chin has eased a little and the mole has reduced in size. I can still feel the tenderness, so I need to continue with my experimental treatment and hopefully, I won't require any medical assistance.
I must say that I have been constantly chanting to my body (inside my head) telling it to get better and telling it that any other treatment is not an option .. mentally spreading the white healing light through my body.
Also, I decided to have a quiet relaxing day without study or stress, to hopefully give my body lots of good healing time.
So far, so good. I will keep you posted.
Today, I found out that my friend Kaz was sick with the flu, so I came home and made some chicken soup for her. I used home made chicken stock from my freezer and I blended roasted capsicum, carrots, pumpkin, celery, onion, garlic, spinach, chilli, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, salt, pepper and honey to add to the stock.
Lots of goodness, to hopefully help her body heal faster.
I got Adoring Husband to drop it off at her house, on his way to the SES shed tonight.
My photo for the #100happydays challenge was this one ..
Catching birds in the act of doing their 'thing' makes me happy. This is a Fig Bird.
So that's my day. Back to study tomorrow.
Nite all.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Home Again
I had such a lovely time with my Chicklet family and now I am home safe n sound.
I met a lovely 85 yr old woman (who I had guessed to be 70) on the platform, as I waited for the train. She was going to Yeppoon, and her grandson (who looked to be in his 30s) dropped her off at the station and seemed relieved that I was there so he could safely leave his grandmother and go to wherever he was going.
We swapped 'getting lost on public transport' stories and she told me about her family and how she lost her husband 27 yrs ago and then she informed me that she was a Homeopath! Unfortunately, the the train pulled up 3 minutes later, which was so disappointing, because I would love to have learned more about her but we were sitting two carriages apart, so contact was lost.
She was the most alert and healthy looking 85 yr old I've ever met. She finished her sentences and told her stories without ever hesitating to think of a word that she wanted to use (like I do ALL THE TIME!). Her mind was quick and she had so many stories to tell. I hope her family ask her lots of questions and she gets to tell them everything that they need to know about her (and their) family history.
When I boarded the train, someone was sitting in my seat (as usual), so I selected the best spare seat I could find, with lots of space and made myself comfortable. I set up my laptop and watched two episodes of Grey's Anatomy.
By that time, I had 20 minutes til my stop, so I packed everything up and soon, there was Adoring Husband waiting on the platform to welcome me home.
It took me about 15 minutes to unpack and now everything is as if I never left.
But I have all of those fabulous photos to remind me that I did!!
Nite all.
I met a lovely 85 yr old woman (who I had guessed to be 70) on the platform, as I waited for the train. She was going to Yeppoon, and her grandson (who looked to be in his 30s) dropped her off at the station and seemed relieved that I was there so he could safely leave his grandmother and go to wherever he was going.
We swapped 'getting lost on public transport' stories and she told me about her family and how she lost her husband 27 yrs ago and then she informed me that she was a Homeopath! Unfortunately, the the train pulled up 3 minutes later, which was so disappointing, because I would love to have learned more about her but we were sitting two carriages apart, so contact was lost.
She was the most alert and healthy looking 85 yr old I've ever met. She finished her sentences and told her stories without ever hesitating to think of a word that she wanted to use (like I do ALL THE TIME!). Her mind was quick and she had so many stories to tell. I hope her family ask her lots of questions and she gets to tell them everything that they need to know about her (and their) family history.
When I boarded the train, someone was sitting in my seat (as usual), so I selected the best spare seat I could find, with lots of space and made myself comfortable. I set up my laptop and watched two episodes of Grey's Anatomy.
By that time, I had 20 minutes til my stop, so I packed everything up and soon, there was Adoring Husband waiting on the platform to welcome me home.
It took me about 15 minutes to unpack and now everything is as if I never left.
But I have all of those fabulous photos to remind me that I did!!
Nite all.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mother's Day
Breakfast in bed ... poached eggs on gluten free toast and a side of toast with macadamia honey ... served by the Bare-chested Chef (no he actually wasn't bare chested when he served it).
A morning shopping trip with Chicklet to buy coffee and dinosaurs.
Fruit salad and ice cream for lunch with the girls and then a movie (101 Dalmatians) with Chicklet.
A later than usual dinner at 'Little Humid' http://www.humid.com.au/
The website isn't up and running yet, but at least the contact details are there for you.
Absolutely delicious! Wonderful service. Lovely atmosphere. A perfect ending to Mother's Day.
I had Duck Confit with roasted beets and pumpkin and celeriac puree and some kind of tasty jus for main meal. Creme Brulee with poached pear for dessert. Two glasses of Sem Sav Blanc.
Thank you so much to my lovely Chicklet family for spoiling me on Mother's Day. It was much more than I ever expected and I had a wonderful day.
A lovely phone call from Number One Son and a cute text to wish me a "Happy love you more than yesterday day" from Bubbles.
A pretty good day all round really.
Tomorrow I go home :( but it's only 6 weeks til my next visit!
Nite all.
A morning shopping trip with Chicklet to buy coffee and dinosaurs.
Fruit salad and ice cream for lunch with the girls and then a movie (101 Dalmatians) with Chicklet.
A later than usual dinner at 'Little Humid' http://www.humid.com.au/
The website isn't up and running yet, but at least the contact details are there for you.
Absolutely delicious! Wonderful service. Lovely atmosphere. A perfect ending to Mother's Day.
I had Duck Confit with roasted beets and pumpkin and celeriac puree and some kind of tasty jus for main meal. Creme Brulee with poached pear for dessert. Two glasses of Sem Sav Blanc.
Thank you so much to my lovely Chicklet family for spoiling me on Mother's Day. It was much more than I ever expected and I had a wonderful day.
A lovely phone call from Number One Son and a cute text to wish me a "Happy love you more than yesterday day" from Bubbles.
A pretty good day all round really.
Tomorrow I go home :( but it's only 6 weeks til my next visit!
Nite all.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
The Day
We had such fun yesterday at the Play School concert.
Play School has been around for generations and the same songs are still as fresh with the newest generation as they were for the 30 and 40 year olds back in the day.
So of course, a Play School concert is an exciting outing for the whole family, because it brings back wonderful memories for the parents and creates a whole new set of memories for their kids and absolutely everyone in the room feels a connection that is bonded by smiles and happiness.
Being 'Aspie', Chicklet needed lots of mental preparation for this outing, so for days leading up to it, Vegan Chickie described everything that was going to happen and lots of things that 'might' happen and explained to Chicklet the coping mechanisms she could use whenever she felt overwhelmed or insecure.
It was a big day for Chicklet. She was so excited all morning, asking many times if it was 'time' yet and then finally we were in the car for the hour long drive to our concert destination. Within 20 minutes, Chicklet was asleep as the excitement had caught up with her.
This turned out to be a good thing, because the concert was on during her normal nap time!
We got there about an hour early, making allowances for getting lost and finding a good parking spot, and we were hoping to find a coffee shop or a kiosk, but alas there were only vending machines, so everybody got a drink and we sat in the sunshine waiting to join the queue.
Chicklet was coping very well until a child walked up to say hello. It was a brief chaotic moment that didn't cause any damage.
Then we joined the queue. Kids running around everywhere - the kids outnumbered the adults by about three to one - except us. Some kids screaming. Some kids climbing anything that was climbable. Some kids being lectured by their parents. Some trying to undress themselves. Some wanting to eat the 'emergency' food that was in their parents' bags. Lots of noise and chaos.
Chicklet stood quietly behind Vegan Chickie's knees when it became a bit overwhelming - that was one of her coping strategies.
We got inside and luckily were quite close to the front of the stage .. it was 'on the floor' seating, except for a few chairs around the outer edge of the floor, so the family sat on the floor, near the chairs and I sat on a chair where I had a decent view of Chicklet and I could get the happy snaps (which I posted yesterday).
When the show started, she was SO excited. For the most part, she joined in and clapped and danced and sang and did the actions. Every so often she zoned out and did her own quirky thing, but was quite easily brought back to the moment.
Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef seemed to enjoy the show just as much, if not more, than Chicklet!! They clapped and sang along with the Play School show, but obviously got overwhelming enjoyment out of Chicklet's happiness.
I felt overwhelming enjoyment watching the three of them together. There are no words to describe the emotional fulfilment that you get from watching your family feeling and expressing so much love together. I felt so lucky to be sitting there and sharing a moment that would be a happy memory for us all in the years to come.
The show only lasted for 40 minutes, which is just the perfect amount of time for so many kids in that age bracket. Everybody left the show still feeling happy and excited and no kid complained about it being over, because they played the same closing song as the TV show, so the kids didn't even question that it was time to leave.
Quite a few dollars later, after leaving the merchandise stall, with our arms full of a confusing group of Play School family ... 1 x big Little Ted, 1 x small Big Ted, 1 x small Humpty and 1 x Jemima ballerina ... we then headed off to find some lunch.
The Chicklet family took me to a Gluten Free restaurant at Mooloolaba, where we had a very pleasant lunch and Chicklet got to play in the kid's area.
We all arrived home safe n sound, no meltdowns, no dramas .. just all very grateful for our happy and wonderful day together and a great collection of photos to remind us in the years to come.
Today, Chicklet and I went shopping for a toy.
We spent 30 minutes in The Reject Shop. Every toy that I pointed to, she said, rather vaguely "Um. Nooo."
We spent 30 minutes in The Warehouse. Same story "Um. Nooo."
We spent 30 minutes in Toy World and again, "Um. Nooo."
No to ALL the dinosaurs, including 'Dinosaur Train'. No to all Octonauts. No to all the stuffed toys. No to all the teasets. No to all the dolls. No to all the cars, boats and trains. No to talking penguins. No to dress up clothes. No to balls. No to farm animals. No to aliens. No to 'My Little Pony'. No to Barbie (surprise surprise). No to Smurfs. No to giant spiders. No to reptiles. No to shopping trolleys full of groceries. No to plastic kitchens. No to Monsters Inc. No to giant teddy bears.
Eventually, I said "We will have to go home without a toy."
"Noooooooo!" she squarked.
Finally, she decided on a plush toy octopus with huge shiny eyes, named 'Legs' (and I don't even have a photo!).
So THAT is how I have spent my day .. playing with Chicklet and Legs at the foot of the stairs!
Now, I'm going to watch some Greys Anatomy and get some sleep, ready for another big Chicklet filled day tomorrow.
... and absolutely loving it!
Nite all.
Play School has been around for generations and the same songs are still as fresh with the newest generation as they were for the 30 and 40 year olds back in the day.
So of course, a Play School concert is an exciting outing for the whole family, because it brings back wonderful memories for the parents and creates a whole new set of memories for their kids and absolutely everyone in the room feels a connection that is bonded by smiles and happiness.
Being 'Aspie', Chicklet needed lots of mental preparation for this outing, so for days leading up to it, Vegan Chickie described everything that was going to happen and lots of things that 'might' happen and explained to Chicklet the coping mechanisms she could use whenever she felt overwhelmed or insecure.
It was a big day for Chicklet. She was so excited all morning, asking many times if it was 'time' yet and then finally we were in the car for the hour long drive to our concert destination. Within 20 minutes, Chicklet was asleep as the excitement had caught up with her.
This turned out to be a good thing, because the concert was on during her normal nap time!
We got there about an hour early, making allowances for getting lost and finding a good parking spot, and we were hoping to find a coffee shop or a kiosk, but alas there were only vending machines, so everybody got a drink and we sat in the sunshine waiting to join the queue.
Chicklet was coping very well until a child walked up to say hello. It was a brief chaotic moment that didn't cause any damage.
Then we joined the queue. Kids running around everywhere - the kids outnumbered the adults by about three to one - except us. Some kids screaming. Some kids climbing anything that was climbable. Some kids being lectured by their parents. Some trying to undress themselves. Some wanting to eat the 'emergency' food that was in their parents' bags. Lots of noise and chaos.
Chicklet stood quietly behind Vegan Chickie's knees when it became a bit overwhelming - that was one of her coping strategies.
We got inside and luckily were quite close to the front of the stage .. it was 'on the floor' seating, except for a few chairs around the outer edge of the floor, so the family sat on the floor, near the chairs and I sat on a chair where I had a decent view of Chicklet and I could get the happy snaps (which I posted yesterday).
When the show started, she was SO excited. For the most part, she joined in and clapped and danced and sang and did the actions. Every so often she zoned out and did her own quirky thing, but was quite easily brought back to the moment.
Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef seemed to enjoy the show just as much, if not more, than Chicklet!! They clapped and sang along with the Play School show, but obviously got overwhelming enjoyment out of Chicklet's happiness.
I felt overwhelming enjoyment watching the three of them together. There are no words to describe the emotional fulfilment that you get from watching your family feeling and expressing so much love together. I felt so lucky to be sitting there and sharing a moment that would be a happy memory for us all in the years to come.
The show only lasted for 40 minutes, which is just the perfect amount of time for so many kids in that age bracket. Everybody left the show still feeling happy and excited and no kid complained about it being over, because they played the same closing song as the TV show, so the kids didn't even question that it was time to leave.
Quite a few dollars later, after leaving the merchandise stall, with our arms full of a confusing group of Play School family ... 1 x big Little Ted, 1 x small Big Ted, 1 x small Humpty and 1 x Jemima ballerina ... we then headed off to find some lunch.
The Chicklet family took me to a Gluten Free restaurant at Mooloolaba, where we had a very pleasant lunch and Chicklet got to play in the kid's area.
We all arrived home safe n sound, no meltdowns, no dramas .. just all very grateful for our happy and wonderful day together and a great collection of photos to remind us in the years to come.
Today, Chicklet and I went shopping for a toy.
We spent 30 minutes in The Reject Shop. Every toy that I pointed to, she said, rather vaguely "Um. Nooo."
We spent 30 minutes in The Warehouse. Same story "Um. Nooo."
We spent 30 minutes in Toy World and again, "Um. Nooo."
No to ALL the dinosaurs, including 'Dinosaur Train'. No to all Octonauts. No to all the stuffed toys. No to all the teasets. No to all the dolls. No to all the cars, boats and trains. No to talking penguins. No to dress up clothes. No to balls. No to farm animals. No to aliens. No to 'My Little Pony'. No to Barbie (surprise surprise). No to Smurfs. No to giant spiders. No to reptiles. No to shopping trolleys full of groceries. No to plastic kitchens. No to Monsters Inc. No to giant teddy bears.
Eventually, I said "We will have to go home without a toy."
"Noooooooo!" she squarked.
Finally, she decided on a plush toy octopus with huge shiny eyes, named 'Legs' (and I don't even have a photo!).
So THAT is how I have spent my day .. playing with Chicklet and Legs at the foot of the stairs!
Now, I'm going to watch some Greys Anatomy and get some sleep, ready for another big Chicklet filled day tomorrow.
... and absolutely loving it!
Nite all.
Play School Day
We saw the Play School concert today and I know that I promised to tell you all about it, but I've been so busy editing the photos, it's too late to do anything except share the photos tonight.
Tomorrow night I will try to remember all the details and share the day.
Nite all.
Tomorrow night I will try to remember all the details and share the day.
Nite all.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
55 Minutes Late!
That's how late my train was today! Not that it mattered to me, but it did to some people who needed to catch a plane and were very concerned about getting to the airport on time. Personally, I think it's pretty silly to give yourself such a small window of time and expect public transport to get you there within it!
There were only 8 other people in my carriage and all but one of them had a horrible cough and cold. There was sneezing and coughing and nose blowing for two whole hours, all around me! It will be interesting to see if my body is strong enough to withstand such germ warfare!
Anyway, I arrived safe n sound and my little Chicklet was happy to see me and my bag full of goodies. We've had a lovely afternoon and read lots of books this evening. Tomorrow will be a big day, which I will tell you all about at the end of it.
I have lots of quotes to share with you today .. because we all know how travel days are not newsworthy and they tire me out. The first few are serious and the last few cracked me up!
Nite all.
There were only 8 other people in my carriage and all but one of them had a horrible cough and cold. There was sneezing and coughing and nose blowing for two whole hours, all around me! It will be interesting to see if my body is strong enough to withstand such germ warfare!
Anyway, I arrived safe n sound and my little Chicklet was happy to see me and my bag full of goodies. We've had a lovely afternoon and read lots of books this evening. Tomorrow will be a big day, which I will tell you all about at the end of it.
I have lots of quotes to share with you today .. because we all know how travel days are not newsworthy and they tire me out. The first few are serious and the last few cracked me up!
Nite all.
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