Thursday, August 28, 2008

The twin's aunty signs Batman Saves the Day for them at bedtime. Hannah now knows the sign for 'aunty'.
3 wise monkeys

Exercise theme for usic lessons:











Nan and their Dad's birthday celebration





Mum is back in hospital again. I can't say anything more on that - well I don't know what to say really ... anyways I spoke to her earlier tonight and she was sitting up and although she sounds tired and my poor father sounds so brave yet the most dispirited I have ever heard him ... lots of prayers are going their way I hope she is able to rest and come home soon.
"Pooh sat down on a large stone, and tired to think this out. It sounded to hi like a riddle, and he was never much good at riddles, being a Bear of Very Little Brain. So he sang Cottleston Pie instead:
... verse 3 ...
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken, I don't know why,
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie."











Sunday, August 17, 2008

A fun and busy weekend. On Sat night we took the twins to the local club for a kids party - which included the kids disco - Kit had no interest - was happy to run around with his friend (I can see two left feet in his future!) while Hannah had a ball.





I bought myslef a copy of Organic Vegetable Gardening by Gardening Australia from the ABC shop the other day ... plantings due in a few weeks time once our new vege patch is ready!



Lordy - technology - why do it geeks like to stuff around with it?????? Now I think I've gone and changed y husband's google password - cos in our house I use our email address for blogging but he uses it for googling - and they were traditionally two separate activities!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bugger - he isn't going to be too happy - of course I have recently set up y own google gmail account - so I can let the flylady clean up my act - but do you think I can recall any of it???? or that it would work on y blog given that I use our joint eail address..... do IT geeks ever think of incompetent tech heads like me?????????

Monday, August 11, 2008

Turkey

I am so lucky to have the fantastic friends that I so - here is a very special bunch at the now annual 'turkey fest - Five Dock' ... we had a ball!
Carving ...




The 'kids end' o fhte table for our recent Turkey Fest. The brats and I 'made' or should I say 'painted' the table cloth on the big table- we did some free form art and so me 'hand turkeys' too.














Saturday, August 09, 2008

Well it's saturday now and I have officially regrouped! The funeral on Thursday was lovely - exactly what Audrey would have wanted I am sure. It hailed like the fury on the drive to the cemetry - not sure what THAT might mean! Anyways things are calmer int he shams after a night in drinkinga bit too much red wine and wathcing the opening ceremony fo rhte Olympics. P has taken Kit to his first football game - to see the Jets play. I still have a wee cold so am at home waiting for Hannah to wake up so I can go tothe shops to get something for dinner and visit the library too I think. If I could only find the right lead I could download some photoes to post ... no idea where I put the thing!!

Oops - she's awake - we're off...

Wednesday, August 06, 2008


Mum is home again. Thank goodness. My sister reports that she is stronger than when she came home at Christmas. That is good. It seems that each time she gets sick now we must wait with baited breath to see if she'll make it through. I remember Mum saying that the only time in all their years together (my parents met a few years earlier but married in 1961) she had only seen Dad break down once - not that we are big supporters of the Aussie Macho Man myth - but that is what my Dad is like. He is a loving generous man who is obviously devoted to his family and has a strong integrity. Anyways that time was about 10 yrs ago when his little Silky Terrier Leo had to be put to sleep. Dad had tried everything to keep him going after his back legs were crushed by a car - but to no avail. She didn't see the next time, my sister did. It was while he was on the phone with me, explaining the situation - and just how dark the picture painted by the drs was about Mum surviving. Now I know that drs are not always correct - but having my Dad break down like that. He was under so much pressure - he had spent the day at the hospital until midnight on the day they admitted Mum, then he had gone up early the next day and when this happened he was at my sisters at about 10pm. My heart goes out to both of them. Their level of devotion to each other is wonderful and magical but death isn't - it is a nasty intruder that snatches away those we love dearly. It steals our breath and if we let it our joy too.

Tonight going through some old photoes (clearing the third bedroom a bit) I looked at photoes of one of mmy favourite aunties, crippled with arthritis, a smoke in each hand (I presume she was holding one for soemone else!) and a big smile on her face. Then her daughter at a different family gathering, one of the most beautiful, loving yet tragic people I have ever known. She wasn't a smoker - she is standing near her sister her beautiful blue eyes alert and her face happily smiling - hiding all the sorrow in her heart and the tragic death brought on by alcolism before she turned 40. I wonder if they realise that we miss them every day??????????

Earlier this week my friend's mother died. It was after a long battle with cancer. She was a remarkable personality. Then I heard from my father that one of my cousins had been killed instantly in a car crash - in a country town in QLD. How can such things happen? Theresa was a fun and loving person who lived life to the full. She was crossing the wide road in her home town after aerobics. I don't know the genetic condition she had but I know it was inherited - and it meant she had an intellectual impairment, none of which is really relevant when the time comes for the family to drive out to south west QLD to pray with her family and ourn her too early death. I wish I could go too. The photo up the top was teken in the 80s (as if you couldn't tell!!) - it is me, mysister and Therese on the front porch in that country town.

RIP. May the Lord look kindly upon the and shine his love on those left here.
PS - it is tomorrow morning and I am feeling a bit better about things - today I am going to the funeral of that friend's Mum. I hope that everything goes smoothly for the family - it isn't going to be an easy day. Our friend has 3 kids - 2 of whom are just old enough to work out that something big has happened in their family. I hope their day isn't too confusing for them. I know it will bring back memories for my husband (and FIL) of when his mother (wife) died (of a different type of cancer) - 20 years ago this year - because she and Audrey were friends as their children were and we still count on him as one of our closest and dearest friends. So just as he was their for P when his Mum died, now it is my Ps turn to be there for his friend. sigh ... maybe not so great yet ... maybe tomorrow I'll regroup better.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Jumping


My parents bought the brats this gift in the Target toy sale - it is an early birthday present - and do I need to say - they LOVE it!!!