metaphorically on strike
03 Thursday May 2012
aussie autumn
01 Tuesday May 2012
cooling weather
01 Tuesday May 2012
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I love this time of year. It’s starting to cool down – it only topped out to 25 degrees today here in Brissie. Brrrrrrrrr.
The rug is now down on the wood floor. Still in cotton socks to walk around, but will be breaking out the woollie ones soon enough. If there’s one thing we subtropical people do well, it’s rug up for the chilly stuff.
A few more degrees and I’ll be changing out the northern hemisphere coats and thermal underwear. Yes, thermals and polyprops! In Brisbane! Anything under 20 degrees and it’s positively Antarctic (relatively speaking).
Stay warm, everyone.
if the intention is good
29 Sunday Apr 2012
another vote
28 Saturday Apr 2012
a piece of childhood
28 Saturday Apr 2012
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When was the last time you had a jelly tip ice block? It’s nice to revisit the flavours of your childhood every now and then. Do it.
Aussie for Beginners
26 Thursday Apr 2012
Before we move on past Anzac Day, I should teach you all the proper way of eating a Tim Tam. If you’re not familiar with Aussie confections, you may not have come across these lightly wafered choc dipped biccies. (* Aussies do not use the word ‘cookies’. That is American). The Tim Tam is Aussie as, and there is a right and a wrong way to eat one. Let the lesson begin…
Take the Tim Tam in your hands and nibble off one corner. Turn said Tim Tam around and nibble on the diagonal corner. This turns the Tim Tam into a straw – its MAGIC.
Pour yourself a glass of your favourite beverage – scotch, rum, kahlua, baileys…anything you think would go nicely with the choccie flavour of the biccie. Please note, tea and coffee are for advanced students only!
Lower biccie into drink – trick for young players is to tip the glass slightly – without spilling – obviously. SUCK until the smooth liquid is drawn up through the chocolately goodness and becomes mush from the inside out. ** NB: tea and coffee melt the little sucker quicker than you think. One second you’ll be holding a Tim Tam, the next it’s molten lava.
Enjoy.
25 April – Gallipoli and the #kiwilament
25 Wednesday Apr 2012
This is my favourite photo from when I was in Gallipoli in 1997.
A bus full of Aussie and Kiwis poured out at each memorial site within the National Park. We didn’t have a guide to go around the 10 or so sites we endeavoured to get to – but then we didn’t really need a guide. We all grew up with the stories of these places. On the bus was the time to share with each other what we’d learned from childhood onwards about places called The Nek, Lone Pine, and Shrapnel Valley.
Once the bus stopped, there was no talking. Everyone scattered. Lots stood quietly, walking the tracks in silence. We tidied the graves as we went – picking out weeds, chipping of bird droppings, using our drinking bottles to water the plants that other visitors had planted previously. At two stops we searched for the grave stones of family.
One of our first stops was Anzac Cove. It was such a beautiful day. The sun shining, birds were chirping. The only thing missing was a bunch of kids skylarking in the water. You could have heard a pin drop, until Scotty started playing the “kiwi lament” on his harmonica. Awesome. Haunting. Extraordinarily touching.
We were running out of time as there’s a curfew on the Park access. We voted to skip a few places so we could make it up to Chanuk Bair – the New Zealand memorial. It’s a stunning memorial. It is also one of the few that still has maintained trenches at the site. The sun was starting to set so we had to go. This is when the boys in particular didn’t want to leave. A lot of bartering and maneuvering was attempted with the bus driver to come back in the morning and pick up those who wanted to sleep rough on the hill. No go. Such a wrench to leave – no one was ready to go.
Lest we forget.
ANZAC biccies
24 Tuesday Apr 2012
getting out
23 Monday Apr 2012
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I need to do something organised or everything else “gets in the way”. The things I’d love to spend my time doing come last – I let them fall to the side. My inherited sense of conscience, duty, work ethic, whatever. Either way, I blame my parents :). Time to spend a little time on doing what I WANT to do. Who’s in?
i love lawn
22 Sunday Apr 2012
embroidery classes
22 Sunday Apr 2012
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So, embroidery project #2. Alice in Wonderland theme needle case.
Designed by me. Encouraged by my Mum. Amusing all. Let the swearing begin!
ruuuuuggbbyyyyyyy
22 Sunday Apr 2012
the thursday push
22 Sunday Apr 2012
doodle part 2
18 Wednesday Apr 2012
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Right side of the doodle started on Sunday. Still not sure what’s going on here – I seem to be reliving the Three Muskateers in linear form. Heaps more to do though.
celebrate the milestones
18 Wednesday Apr 2012
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I spent a lovely evening celebrating a significant milestone for a family member. It’s really enjoyable to see the wonderful people someone you know has gathered into their circle. The conversation was cheerful and fun, with everyone there for the same reason – to celebrate a great person’s time with us all. We all know about the ups and the downs – but the room was full of those grateful to have shared it all.
I’m atrocious with small talk – I’m a little awkward and shy. It takes me a while to read the room and pitch “me” accordingly. I’m always surprised, and very grateful, for a table full of strangers who are sooooo easy to talk to. No-one really knew each other, but to figure out how we all fit the jigsaw of the birthday boys’ life was hilarious.
It’s been a while since I’ve been genuinely shocked at how late the time was when we had to start thinking about leaving… That’s a testament in itself.
doodle part 1
18 Wednesday Apr 2012
try to rise above
15 Sunday Apr 2012
I like a fair fight. Nothing below the belt. No name calling. And leave our mothers out of it. But, if I gotta fight, I’ll fight.
Nothing pushes my buttons more than having my opinion dismissed as irrelevant. Every person knows when they are being put down. It is a deliberate and cowardly move and there is nothing innocent about it. (NB: if you do this and claim you didn’t mean to start the argument and it is the other person’s fault for misunderstanding you – you’re lying to yourself). It’s the worst kind of dirty fighting. We all know what’s going on.
That’s the bit that gets me. My reactions aren’t a sideshow amusement for you intellectual giants. They are real. And if you’re that friggin condescending that you have to belittle me into backing down so you don’t lose – then you already have.
be a little more gentle
12 Thursday Apr 2012
I get it, I get it. Bad sleep, teeth grinding, migraines starting, sinus blocked, bruises I don’t remember getting… and I’m still trying to battle through. I do get it. STOP. Time to stop. Say no to as much as I can. Pull back on the efforts and do the minimum to keep my time and energy for me. Sleep, read, sleep, sit. Sounds like heaven, don’t it?
13 Apr – birthday
12 Thursday Apr 2012
My usual trick around my birthday is to beat myself up a bit about where I am, what I’ve achieved and to generally make myself sick with a migraine because I’m not a good enough me. Fuck that. This year, I’m on strike. Imma gonna enjoy the flowers and have a drink. Cheers.
cold remedy
12 Thursday Apr 2012
the end of the line
12 Thursday Apr 2012
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These little eggs are on the endangered list. They might live to see another day or two – maybe even a week – but their number has been called and I will have satisfaction!
pendulum
10 Tuesday Apr 2012
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Is there an age at which you stop fluctuating between happy and sad? Does the pendulum swing with less umph as you get older? The times I feel happiest (or at least quietly accept the moments of low) are when I don’t care about how I feel. Weird, huh.
At what point do you not doubt yourself? I always figured that would be when I was grown up, but the doubts are still there. The fleeting grasp I seem to have on a reliable resilience has me stuffed. I’m strong. I’m educated. I have moved countries. I have travelled alone. I have walked away from jobs that others called a “career”. I’m clear about what I will and won’t put up with, so where’s the fear coming from exactly?
At this point, I can at least note when it’s happening. I have this weird out of body conversation with self thing happening. I know I’m feeling like I want to walk away, but I stand there and stay in the moment a bit longer to see what happens…which is nothing. No tragedy. No drama. Nothing bad really – it’s all in my head. A weird work in progress. I am my own wacky experiment, I’m just not sure if I’m Jeckyll or Hyde.
all babies are cute
10 Tuesday Apr 2012
easter
09 Monday Apr 2012
It’s weird how all the imagery for the “big” Christian holidays are from the northern hemisphere. Easter – rebirth, spring, etc – when we’re heading into winter and hibernation. I reckon we time the chocolate fest best though – get a good head start on the winter spread and whack on a lump of lard before it even starts cooling down. It’s still 30 degrees celcius outside, but the chocolate is cool as I like it best out of the freezer. Anyway, happy easter to you. I hope you caught up with family and friends, warmed through a few hot cross buns and had a nice cuppa with a choccie for afters. Our family has a big fry up breakfast and then roast for lunch (a late one thankfully). Too much food, way too much. But lovely to see everyone anyway.
on the road again
09 Monday Apr 2012
red army
09 Monday Apr 2012
It was nice to finally make it to a game! I missed the first two, being out of town. My boys have done it bought on the road, losing by huge margins, so with still more injuries to carry, the coach is calling on the depth in the pack to beat the Brumbies from the ACT. If there’s one thing I can say to compliment this night – the stadium felt like Ballymore. Awesome.
Elizabeth II
06 Friday Apr 2012
Last night I got hooked into watching The Queen with Helen Mirren playing Her Majesty. I’ve never watched it before, and missed a bit of the start, but it brought back a lot of memories. The day of the election of 1997 was my first day in England. The 2 May I went to the front of Buck House to see the changing of the guards (as you do) and both John Major and Tony Blair presented themselves to the Queen. One to get his golden handshake and the other to be invited to take on the job.
I was in London when Diana died. I slept on the Mall the night before her funeral. There didn’t seem to be any other place to be, really. I remember talking to so many Welsh people who’d driven down to pay their respects. Lovely people, saddened they’d lost a woman they’d claimed as theirs. It’s the ‘being claimed’ that was their reason for why they mourned so openly in public. The People’s Princess.
I remember debating whether it was appropriate to photograph the funeral procession. I rarely go anywhere without my camera. I’d taken photos of the flowers at Kensington Palace, Buck House, and Westminster Abbey. I wasn’t sure the procession of the casket was something I should be snapping at, more I should stop and bow my head and focus on prayer. I had an interesting discussion with an Irishman about it. He thought I was nuts to be troubled about it – said ‘this is history’. I’m still not sure to this day, but I did take photos. I feel like I invaded the family’s privacy – even though it was there for all to see. Such sadness, such stoic propriety, such an intense atmosphere.
I remember the comments about the family not coming down, the media full of poisonous judgement. But the Princes did come – Andrew and Edward. They walked up to Buck House and were mobbed with people thanking them for being there. Thanking them for being with the British people. Extraordinary times.
fear
06 Friday Apr 2012
Well, not such a big brain, or that tiny a heart. But I fear a slip, an error, a mistake, a fall. I know they hurt. I don’t want the humiliation of people laughing at me. I know that the bruises will come. And bruises remind me of the fall, the humiliation, the ugliness and the hurt. And really, who wants that?
hipsters ahoy
04 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in photo
step 1 – travel wishlist
02 Monday Apr 2012
I see you
02 Monday Apr 2012
spinning my wheels
31 Saturday Mar 2012
a pat on the back
31 Saturday Mar 2012
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Ok, so I didn’t make my piece of ticking material into a pillow – Mum did. But I did do the lines of stitches embroidered across the material. My first “sampler” of sorts. The next one is a doozy.
machine acid
29 Thursday Mar 2012
Posted in musings
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Just for shits and giggles today two, count ’em – TWO, different multifunction devices didn’t function at all. In fact, they reverse functioned – twice each before I walked away in disgust.
Also buggering up today was a small printer (jam) and a blInking flouro.
Two liquid soap dispensers in the work bathroom ran out. Today.
The work dishwasher was run half empty then some dolt put their grubby plate in with the just clean dishes, spilling food everywhere. And I had to pick up the food from behind the bin, cos a hole in the bench over the top of the bin is a bit hard to aim through. Shitheads.
I have multiple papercuts from recycling printed paper into small notebooks and bruised my hand when the binder combs flicked me.
Today was not my day!
attitude
28 Wednesday Mar 2012
RIP Schumi
27 Tuesday Mar 2012
hold onto that thought
26 Monday Mar 2012
Wow. Interesting day. Woke up with one intent – having agonized about the ins and outs of everything over the weekend. But when the time came, I stayed silent and held fire.
I have no idea why. I know I’m cautious by nature – overly so. I don’t start a recipe until I have all the ingredients ticked off and measured out. I don’t start a puzzle if I can’t see all the pieces. I hedged today. I can kid myself that it’s to wait and see, but I think it’s more that I’m scared of making the wrong decision.
That’s been happening a lot lately – being uncertain. I’m terrified of getting myself trapped.
I’ll have to give more thought to figuring this one out.
cos we can
26 Monday Mar 2012
votes for women
24 Saturday Mar 2012
Well that is quite some outcome. Today, the Queensland Labor Party has been annihilated.
I love election days. I don’t like the campaigning, the speeches, the debates (if they happen) or the gazillion media opportunities splashed in front of me. I don’t trust them.
But I like voting. I like having my say. For my reasons that I don’t have to tell anyone, but I believe are reasonable and honest for me.
That’s what women handcuffed themselves to gates and got arrested for. That’s what they marched and picketed for. So that my voice would be heard as an equal one amongst the many. A lot of countries don’t let women vote. I am fortunate – and ever mindful and grateful for living in a country that does value my voice.
the English said it best
23 Friday Mar 2012
Posted in musings
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neutral zone
23 Friday Mar 2012
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Is this how the UN feels? One last effort to broker a ceasefire.
feeling’ it
23 Friday Mar 2012
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A lot is written about that our bodies reflect physically what’s going on in our head. I agree wholeheartedly. When there are a lot of things to think through and sort out, my sleep is ruined. I wake up with headaches from grinding my teeth and its no fun to start your day with a headache.
ramped up
23 Friday Mar 2012
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I’m starting to question the current reality, why I’m in the middle, what am I expected to do when no-one else is, how to fix things and whether I can fix it at all.
remember your joy on Mondays
19 Monday Mar 2012
Monday is a hard day for me. If you’re like me, you’ve spent a bit of your weekend planning the to do list for the week. And if you’re like me, your list is a loooonnnnngggggg one – too long.
So come Monday morning, I hit the ground running. My self talk is all “I’ll do this first, then on the way to do this thing, I’ll pick up that thing and drop off two other things, and then I’ll get to work to start my 8hr day of to do things there”… No wonder I fall in a heap by mid afternoon!
Just to make things super interesting – and ramp up the difficulty by a factor of 2.5 – throughout, I chide myself that I’m not quick enough, finishing enough, creating enough, impressing enough. And because I’ve spent the day berating me, I go home – late – as a failure.
How did I get this screwed up? Maybe a realistic plan to move towards my goals (whilst still helping everyone else with there’s)? No?
Monday’s should become my ease-in day, my take my time day, my baby steps day. And not just a hell day to get through to the other side.
sundays
18 Sunday Mar 2012
Downtime. That’s what Sunday’s were invented for. I’d like to say this is what my Sunday was like today, but no. It was filled with the chores I don’t get to during the week commuting to and from work, or the hectic errand filled time that is called Saturday.
Sundays are becoming endangered. There’s a risk of it not being a day of rest, but a day of catch up with every other bloody thing that hasn’t got done. Worse still, Sundays are being spent inside my head – mulling over what happened the day before and/or planning all the stuff to do on the dreaded Monday that follows.
I need to reclaim my Sunday. Say ‘no’ to everyone and do the want to do’s, not the have to do’s. Who’s with me?
ancestry
17 Saturday Mar 2012
lessons handed down
16 Friday Mar 2012
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One of the many things my mum has taught me is a love of handmade things. It doesn’t matter how “professional” they are in their execution, the only thing that matters is it’s made with love by someone thinking of gifting a piece of their time/love/skill/supplies to another.
To this end, Mum thought a funny gift for Christmas one year was some material, needles and thread for me to learn how to embroider. Hilarious woman 🙂
So one day a month, I go with my mum to her group afternoon session of crafty ladies. We sit and stitch (lots of different types of needlecraft) and I listen. The women are amazing. All full lives of families, friends, travels, work and most importantly, they talk about their plans for the future. I love listening to them. They make me laugh, they help me learn and I always have a better sense of perspective for my life when I leave.
storm coming
16 Friday Mar 2012
ready for a close up
16 Friday Mar 2012
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Change of season is a lovely time to take a second to smell the roses, literally. With what we call autumn in the subtropics upon us, this is the last flush of flowers before the winter.
laurenetrim 