Yes, folks, it's time to pack the car and head north for about 3 weeks. Firstly we'll have a week in Brisbane watching several hockey games in the Australian National League Finals Week. We hope Sara's ACT team will do well. Following the finals on Easter Sunday we will fly to Townsville to spend a week with Tanya (Purple Giraffes), and we're looking forward to hearing all about Tanya's three weeks in Vanuatu.
May I wish you all a very happy Easter - don't eat too many of those choccy eggs! I'll catch up with you all when we return around 18th April.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Peace and Tranquility
Join
Here are just four of more than 100 photos that I took today at the Nan Tien Buddhist Temple, Wollongong, New South Wales. We stayed in Pilgrim Lodge last night and, after breakfast this morning, spent another four hours simply roaming the beautiful gardens and buildings. I'll post more photos during the week.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
A Message from Mum
They say that every cloud has a silver lining, and perhaps every job has one, too. Today, whilst moving bedroom furniture so that I could continue painting, I found this little verse which had slipped down behind a piece of furniture.
Although my mother was not the author of this verse, she felt the power of its message and had taken the time to write it out for me. I was thrilled to find this little verse, written in Mum's lovely handwriting. I will take better care of it in the future - this special reminder of my dear Mother who passed away almost 23 years ago.
Although my mother was not the author of this verse, she felt the power of its message and had taken the time to write it out for me. I was thrilled to find this little verse, written in Mum's lovely handwriting. I will take better care of it in the future - this special reminder of my dear Mother who passed away almost 23 years ago.
The Little Things
It really is the little things
That mean the most of all...
The "Let me help you with that" things
That may seem very small;
The "I'll be glad to do it" things
That make your cares much lighter;
The "Laugh with me, it's funny" things
That make your outlook brighter...
The "Never mind the trouble" things,
The "Yes", I understand;
The interest and encouragement
In everything you've planned.
It really is the little things,
The friendly word or smile,
That add such happiness to life
And make it more worthwhile.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
A Memorable Weekend Indeed!
What a way to spend a weekend ...... meeting a dear blogger friend on Thursday afternoon, lunching with my brother and sister-in-law yesterday, and today, meeting several schoolfriends whom I hadn't seen for nigh on 50 years.
It was such a pleasure to meet with Val on Thursday afternoon and to have a personally conducted tour of part of the magnificent State Library of Victoria. Alas, there wasn't time to see nearly as much as we wanted to. Definitely a place to visit for those living in or near Melbourne, or for those visiting.
Today my sisters and I attended the Drouin High School 50th Anniversary celebrations. We were a bit ambivalent about going, but had a wonderful day. I met up with quite a few people from my years at the school in the mid 50s, several who were in my class (although none of my closest friends), some whom I had known away from school through sport, church, etc. and even a couple of students whom Richard had taught at Primary School before they moved on to DHS.
When I receive my copies of the photos taken for each decade, I'm sure I'll look at the names and realise that there were yet more people there whom I would love to have caught up with. Nevertheless, we had a thoroughly enjoyable day ..... and what a relief to see that I wasn't the only one that no longer looks like a teenager...lol.
So, dear friends, if you have the opportunity to attend a school reunion, do make the effort to go. I'm sure you'll have a great time too.
It was such a pleasure to meet with Val on Thursday afternoon and to have a personally conducted tour of part of the magnificent State Library of Victoria. Alas, there wasn't time to see nearly as much as we wanted to. Definitely a place to visit for those living in or near Melbourne, or for those visiting.
Today my sisters and I attended the Drouin High School 50th Anniversary celebrations. We were a bit ambivalent about going, but had a wonderful day. I met up with quite a few people from my years at the school in the mid 50s, several who were in my class (although none of my closest friends), some whom I had known away from school through sport, church, etc. and even a couple of students whom Richard had taught at Primary School before they moved on to DHS.
When I receive my copies of the photos taken for each decade, I'm sure I'll look at the names and realise that there were yet more people there whom I would love to have caught up with. Nevertheless, we had a thoroughly enjoyable day ..... and what a relief to see that I wasn't the only one that no longer looks like a teenager...lol.
So, dear friends, if you have the opportunity to attend a school reunion, do make the effort to go. I'm sure you'll have a great time too.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Up, Up and Away ...
.... as far as Melbourne, anyway. I'll be spending a few days with my sister and on Saturday we'll go to our high school's 50th Anniversary/Reunion. Can it really be 50 years since I was at high school? Alas, I look in the mirror, and I know it is ... lol.
Even more than the reunion, I'm looking forward to meeting a Special Blogger Friend this afternoon. See you soon, Val.
Even more than the reunion, I'm looking forward to meeting a Special Blogger Friend this afternoon. See you soon, Val.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Many Happy Returns of the Day ....
....to my darling husband, Richard
and my dear daughter, Tanya
(my Purple Giraffe)
I hope you both enjoy your birthdays.
With much love and best wishes to you always.
Monday, March 05, 2007
A Better Job
Following my narrow escape from a boring database job on Friday, I have acquired a new job that sounds perfect. Please note the following POSITIVE aspects of my new job:
1. I don't have to get up early to go to work.
2. I can wear what I like, the older the better.
3. I can work whatever hours I want.
4. I can take as many teabreaks as I like - I can even sit outside in the sunshine during my teabreaks.
5. No-one will tell me to do it their way instead of mine.
6. It offers great scope for creativity.
7. It also provides plenty of exercise.
There are a few NEGATIVES though:
1. Not only will I not get paid, it will actually cost me money.
2. Other members of the family will no doubt offer their opinions when I've finished the job, and they may well be less-than-positive.
3. And lastly, I won't get a proper sleep until I've finished this job!
So, what am I doing? I'm painting my bedroom!!!!!!
This was brought about by our waterbed springing a leak, and since it was now 18 years old and the second leak this year, we decided to buy a new bladder for the bed. After syphoning 550 litres of water out of the bed, and the new bladder won't be here for a few days, Richard suggested that I might like to paint the walls now that we can actually move the bed. You try lifting 550 litres of water and all the associated woodwork and you will see why the bed doesn't get moved very often.
Tomorrow I'll try and remember to take some 'before' photos so we can compare them with the 'after' photos.
1. I don't have to get up early to go to work.
2. I can wear what I like, the older the better.
3. I can work whatever hours I want.
4. I can take as many teabreaks as I like - I can even sit outside in the sunshine during my teabreaks.
5. No-one will tell me to do it their way instead of mine.
6. It offers great scope for creativity.
7. It also provides plenty of exercise.
There are a few NEGATIVES though:
1. Not only will I not get paid, it will actually cost me money.
2. Other members of the family will no doubt offer their opinions when I've finished the job, and they may well be less-than-positive.
3. And lastly, I won't get a proper sleep until I've finished this job!
So, what am I doing? I'm painting my bedroom!!!!!!
This was brought about by our waterbed springing a leak, and since it was now 18 years old and the second leak this year, we decided to buy a new bladder for the bed. After syphoning 550 litres of water out of the bed, and the new bladder won't be here for a few days, Richard suggested that I might like to paint the walls now that we can actually move the bed. You try lifting 550 litres of water and all the associated woodwork and you will see why the bed doesn't get moved very often.
Tomorrow I'll try and remember to take some 'before' photos so we can compare them with the 'after' photos.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Be Careful What You Say ...
I had lunch today with three former work colleagues. L. is visiting from Perth, and K. and C. work here in Canberra. K. is going to quit her job and stay home for a few weeks or months doing what she likes, or nothing at all. L. said, "Then you can live the exciting life of a retiree like 'Alice'". "Well" I said, semi-seriously, "sometimes it's not all that exciting, and right now I'm frustrated, I'm bored and I'm depressed, and I'm thinking of looking for a job."
Quick as a flash, C. who works for a staffing agency, said "Would you really like a job? We need someone to do some urgent data entry over the next few weeks. Would you be interested?" I didn't have the courage to say "No", in view of what I'd just said, so an hour later I was round at C's place of work, doing a test on computer and database skills, and a typing test!
Now anyone who has read of my blogging frustration in recent months will scarcely believe that I could have gotten myself into this situation. A nice young lady set up the test and, fortunately, there was a brief tutorial that I could go through before actually doing the test. Just as well, because I couldn't even understand the tutorial, let alone the test! At least I did summon up enough courage to quit then and there because I knew it wasn't really what I wanted to do.
Just the thought of waking early and dressing for work instead of slothing around in the garden, facing peak hour traffic (yes, I know, our peak hour traffic looks like a 'petrol strike' in Sydney or Melbourne), then entering figures into a database hour after hour, with the emphasis on speed and accuracy, was making frustration, boredom and depression look like an exciting day out!
C. was very understanding and said that she wouldn't like to do the job either. Richard thought I was an idiot for even considering it.
Quick as a flash, C. who works for a staffing agency, said "Would you really like a job? We need someone to do some urgent data entry over the next few weeks. Would you be interested?" I didn't have the courage to say "No", in view of what I'd just said, so an hour later I was round at C's place of work, doing a test on computer and database skills, and a typing test!
Now anyone who has read of my blogging frustration in recent months will scarcely believe that I could have gotten myself into this situation. A nice young lady set up the test and, fortunately, there was a brief tutorial that I could go through before actually doing the test. Just as well, because I couldn't even understand the tutorial, let alone the test! At least I did summon up enough courage to quit then and there because I knew it wasn't really what I wanted to do.
Just the thought of waking early and dressing for work instead of slothing around in the garden, facing peak hour traffic (yes, I know, our peak hour traffic looks like a 'petrol strike' in Sydney or Melbourne), then entering figures into a database hour after hour, with the emphasis on speed and accuracy, was making frustration, boredom and depression look like an exciting day out!
C. was very understanding and said that she wouldn't like to do the job either. Richard thought I was an idiot for even considering it.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
