Great times....

Well the appas were fantastic. The Invisible Woman received 2 silver awards and we had a great time in Melbourne.

This week i've been back 'home' in Newcastle seeing the sights and spending time with my wonderful best friend. Lots of great fun.

Tomorrow is her birthday which is why i've stayed away from home longer than usual...but gee its been great to have a break from all the fun back there.

Some photos from my stay are below. Not sure they will be how I want them so until I can edit on my laptop I'll leave them alone... :)

Some time in Melbourne

Watch out Melbourne.... Wonder Woman, Invisible Woman and Super Woman are on their way... 


I'm very excited tonight. Sitting here on my bed with my packed suitcase near my feet. I'm leaving in the morning, heading to the train, plane and then bus so that I can spend the weekend with my BF at the APPAs. The Australian Professional Photographer Awards. 


My Besty is a pro photographer and for the last 4 or 5 years at this time we been to the APPA's together. Always getting up to large amounts of mischief with just a little bit of Luaaaa along the way, that would be Kahlua to the normal people in this world but when Miss Deb is involved Luaaa is the only way we get by.  


The awards are fantastic.... I've watched and waited in anticipation for her and other photographers in our posse, prints to appear and be judged. I've been elated with her/them, I've had my hand, shoulder, hair, ears all damaged from the squeezing and pulling and yelling with excitement and the disappointment when a print doesn't quite win the award she/they was/were aiming for. 


I've sat with her for hours and hours waiting for her last print which of course came out when she had finally given in and raced to the ladies room for all of 2 minutes... but that's the way it goes..LOL BTW it won Silver but ever since we don't leave until the last print has been turned... it is 3 days of anxiety, celebration and great times with extremely talented and amazing people who I am in awe of. 



Tonight I sat here on the end of the phone. Waiting, while my niece at the bottom of the country is writing. A school assignment that is due tomorrow and Aunty Jo had to help. So for most of the 90 minutes I listened.. to silence as she types away. At the end of our chat she thanked me for helping when all I've done is listened and pointed out a few minor spelling and grammatical errors. I pointed out to her I did nothing and that she wrote a fantastic piece and I can't wait to hear what her teacher says...

So tomorrow my son is taking me to the train station so I can start my journey of mischief and mayhem with my Besty..  life is good. He came in to inform me that we would be leaving early in the morning. 8am.... 9am...okay 9.30am... I just looked and smiled. He knows me so well. Me and mornings - tread carefully. :))


from yesterday... the International Day of the Turtle. xxx A small sample of my turtle/tortoise collection. Can't turn the photo for some reason..... 


Peace xxxx

Walking on a tightrope- I AM!!

I have been truly blessed as a parent. I have 3 wonderful children who I love and adore. All boys, great kids.. I know that and everyone who knows them says the same.

I find myself walking a tightrope though when it comes to girlfriends. How does a mother say something of concern without alienating her boy?

How can I say I understand you don't want her around us .. We embarrass you, we aren't the perfect family, we are inconvenient.. I know that.. I GET THAT.. but that doesn't mean we won't like her, or her us but if you don't give us a chance .. I lose YOU and I can't survive THAT.

How can I be OK .. how can I let my boy know I'm hurting DEEPLY because I feel like he is disappearing before my eyes.

How do I tell him I don't want to play this game .. the GF will win because if I say ANYTHING I lose anyway.

I have 3 sons and don't know how I will cope if each time they get a GF they choose to disappear from my life.

We've moved away from our roots to this city I don't feel part of. I feel like I'm wandering in a desert and the waterhole is out of reach.

I've left my tribe behind (twice) and I have no tribe here. My fault -totally. I haven't had the energy to reach out as I'm sick of making friends and then leaving them behind without the means to visit when my heart yearns for them.

I think I'm about to take a tumble off the tightrope and there is no safety net below me..

Oh shit !!

For Annie xxx

For Annie because I've been thinking about her all day

full disclosure.. picture from google images no link for permissions.. I altered. 

Tuesday Life

Special thoughts (rainbow solidarity)


Special thoughts to Annie, all my bits are crossed that everything goes smoothly for you. xx  






Time is flying and I can't seem to catch up.... !

MG with Patch. This sums him up. 

We've had a busy couple of days with lots of hugs and cuddles from TJ, waiting for his asthma to settle. Stressing about MG, who just got his licence and is exploring the world with his new GF :)  and chilling with JD, listening to him drumming and guitaring.. happy times.




I've also been spending some time re-organising STUFF.

WIP An accident while I was experimenting

Like ,my art table which was a total unusable space ( I NEED A STUDIO ALL TO MYSELF - just saying), my kitchen has been overtaken by Mr Happy Pants since his accident last July and I'm trying to claim some of it back, my bedroom looks like I live in it again not just passing through and I'm  trying to have a happier attitude in general. I think spending a little bit of time each night journaling is helping me process my thoughts and feelings. I'm getting back into my journaling, painting and drawing and have thoroughly enjoyed some accidents while playing. It feels good to be getting back my mojo. 


Some excitement ahead
I'm getting very excited to be heading to Melbourne in May with my bestie to attend the APPAs. I'm part of her rent a crowd and after seeing some of her latest shots I can't wait. 


Time with my babies
I took the kids to Lake Samsonvale yesterday to spend some time near the water, the swans, the ducks and spent half the time there laughing at my kids antics. We had a great time even with the cool wind and cloudy skies. Sadly the boys have discovered at ages 13 and 15 they are too big for the playground... lol Had to happen. 

I can't convince TJ he NEEDS a haircut...lol

We then headed to our Turtle Park, to another playground and MG and I came to the rescue of a small brown snake that was not in a happy place. Great work to the Moreton Bay council guy who moved it away from the playground.




We had left Mr Happy Pants at home and managed to escape just as he was waking... I was having some time out with the 3 boys ALONE and it was just what we all needed. I would have preferred a trip to Redcliffe but time was not on our side.. I NEED to smell the ocean again SOON. As a Newcastle girl it's hard living away from the beach. I remember laying in my bed at night listening to the waves breaking.. so calming. 

JD .. not wanting to smile

Taxi time
Today was spent taking Mr Happy Pants (aka The Man when he deserves it :))))   ) from appointment to appointment with no warning and I was not a happy Woodpuddle as my plans were to drop MG at work, come home and paint till it was time to go to work. I feel like I'm being taken for granted by him at the moment....not happy Jan.
I mean how hard is it to let me know a day or so ahead so we can all have our needs met? Instead of demanding I be his taxi for the day... Mr Happy Pants needs a slight attitude readjustment at the moment and I'm just the girl to give it to him.. hehe. How can you convince someone the only disability they have is the limitations they are putting on themselves?? 


Tomorrow it's Mummy Muffins, like a bacon and egg Maccas thingy but sooooo much better :) with maple syrup. I think the kids will be happy... I know I will be.


Hello to the bloggy readers from Russia. Not sure what is sending you here but HI.

Super Lazy Healing Day

TJ and myself have come down with the dreaded lurgie that MG thoughtfully shared with the family. The Man has too but it's so far down his list of woes we'll just let it go   :) plus seriously my energy meter for him is at an all time low.. I know that sounds terrible but I'm just one person who has to look after herself occasionally ... so I am. 


TJ has gone through BOXES of his favourite tissues and God Forbid we buy the wrong ones.... sorry Mum those hankies you gave the boys at Christmas just aren't up to the task. 


Tell me...... HOW MUCH SNOT CAN ONE 13 year old MANUFACTURE??? Fair Dinkum.. So Kleenex thank you for making a tissue that can handle this task. 


He is back to teasing the cat and dog so all is fairly normal in his world... :)


Me I'm on day 12 and still feel blah but I like the aloe vera tissues.. very gentle on my shnozz... but I'm back at work and ever so grateful I don't work everyday. This is the first cold in a long time I haven't bounced back from.... hmm and I've just agreed to a full day at work tomorrow.. oops. Here's hoping no more coughs, colds or runny noses are to be had here... fingers crossed.


Soooo today I've given myself permission to do NOTHING.. or as my brother Mikel would say NOTHINK...lol I'm sitting in my pj's, in my bed with computer on my lap checking out some great Aussie Blogs. 

I'm waiting.... I think it's time

When you least expect it, something great will come along. 

Something better than you ever planned for!

 a quote from my facebook feed... 

I agree... but I think the time is 

NOW