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

Being 'creative' + WIP

I'm working on a couple of pieces at the moment that I'm loving and while I wait for bits to dry I'm net surfing and came across a post in a group I attend, rather infrequently of late and it started me thinking. The post was about leaving our creativity behind... back in our childhood. The lovely lady was a mathematician who has reconnected with her creativity after being stifled for years.

WIP - This piece is about how 

invisible I feel at the moment and I'm asking if 'you' can see me. 

As a kid I was always a) reading or b) drawing.  I got the message early on that I was not a singer.. thanks Mum...lol but found out in later years that I could hold a tune rather well and had an opportunity to do some singing with a band BUT all those years of remembering I was NOT the singer created nerves that I just could not get past. Still can't do much of singing in public without a panic attack nearing...LOL and yes I can laugh about it.




Drawing.. wellll. I have a lovely cousin who was the designated 'artist' in the family. I remember holidays at her place where I would come home inspired and would draw and doodle etc. BUT seeing as though she was the artist in my head (again) that meant I wasn't. Sooo I didn't major in art at school even though when I was in my art classes I felt safe, free and at home. With all those smells etc I was inspired and anything I did do.. I was great at..:))) but I wasn't the artist in the family. 

WIP.layed down some shapes sprayed

 with inks and paints 

I think the messages we are given, hear, assume are about us are so terrible. Who knows where I might have ended up if I wasn't given the labels... ?? Singer, songwriter, artist. Maybe, maybe not but I would sure feel better about the way I feel when it comes to the creative me and I would probably have followed my heart because I trusted it... deep.


Reading was safe...   I couldn't read for a couple of years.. really read I mean. I couldn't concentrate long enough to get through a page. My general anxiety levels were so high I couldn't do much of anything.  








That's when I found art journaling. I feel I should be singing these words from a mountain top so the world can hear. 

ART JOURNALING  HEALS

It has stilled the noise in my head. The noises of anxiety, depression, panic... etc. When the world let me down I really didn't cope and took it way too personally. 


2 weeks ago I was experiencing chest uncomfortableness. I'm not in any of the 'risk groups' for cardiac disease but a voice in my head was over thinking the situation and the more I thought the more pain I was having...lol  So I tried to see my Dr but she couldn't fit me in and wanted me to present directly to our local hospital emergency room.. fun..NOT. 

WIP - Doodle art. I've discovered India Ink.. woohoo. 

This piece will be doodled ALOT

Anyway. . . after a holiday from home (overnight stay) and a barrage of tests I was let go with NO bad news from the heart.. yay. BUT I started thinking (rationally) and realised that most of the time I was experiencing this chest sensation I was stressing about something and being a little panicky.... ahaaaa. 


So since my little holiday I'm being much more conscious of how much my creative time is helping me.. :) and looking after me a little bit more than I was. 


:))

Freaking Out

Freaking out tonight and that is putting it mildly.


My sister and her 4 children were in an accident today in a Jet boat. 


All the kids are ok although 2 were taken to hospital for observation and have been released with instructions to be further watched for concussion. My sister on the other hand is in surgery at the moment, 12.25am, (my time) after receiving a compound fracture to her wrist. 


Apparently the boat his a submerged log or something like that and everyone on the boat was thrown around. Of the 12 passengers at least 6 were taken to hospital. 


So I'm not able to sleep as I wait for that phone call to let me know she is ok. Last time she had an anaesthetic was when we were both kids and were having our tonsils out and she was quite sick from the aneasthetic :( So I sit and worry and wait. Knowing how useless that is because worry doesn't do anything except upset me!!


I feel pretty useless. I would love to be able to go down and help her out for a bit BUT our circumstances dictate that I remain here and try and earn enough money to pay the rent. 

BIG SAD FACE :(

Hmmm.. Workcover SUCKS

So it seems that in the state of Qld as a patient you have to learn how to 'work' the system to be treated as you deserve to be.

After The Man had a car accident in July last year we have played by what we thought were the 'rules'. Like this one.

If it's not major go see your GP. We didn't think it was major. Minor nose to tail accident. Feeling a bit stiff and sore the day of the accident. The next day (the day we went to the GP) he was in intense pain so we trudged along to the GP and his treatment started at this point.

We think this is important. We don't want to contribute to clogging up the hospital system so we decided to visit the GP the day after his accident. As the accident happened on the way to work  this became a 'Workcover' situation. Because DH has a pre-existing condition 'Workcover' had to cover their but and make sure it had nothing to do with his TM. Fair Enough we thought and it didn't and doesn't.

So he was on 'Workcover'... BUT because he hasn't healed as quickly as was expected??? Lets not take into account we are all different and heal at our own pace.. and if someone ISN'T then maybe HELP find out why? 'Workcover' has dumped him..  because he?? doesn't fit into that neat little box they want him to. 

So today we were chatting to a 'medical professional' who informed that we should have gone through the hospital system and then he would be treated more punctually, he would be seeing the people that can make a difference...

So we're torn. It's not how we live.. we don't want to 'play' games BUT seems we have to so he can get some proper medical attention. What is the world coming to? 

We aren't trying to rort the system.. I need to make that clear. He is not pretending to be injured. He has sustained a debilitating injury to his back. 

My husband has gone from pre-accident having a conditon that limited him in minor ways really. He got tired easily, he had cramping and spasms most of the time but had been, with medical assistance, learning how to get past the pain. He was working a full-time job, could drive a car, was paying taxes, was an active Scout Leader with 20 Scouts in his Troop who were achieving life and Scouting goals with his support.....and the list goes on...NOW He can stand for short periods of time, he can sit for short periods of time, he has limited sleep as he cannot get comfortable, he cannot be a passenger in a car without intense pain so we limit his outings to Dr's and Centrelink. That's it. His world has shrunk to the small things that most of us take for granted. He has progressed to being able to do the dishes.. but 'WORKCOVER QLD' in their wisdom deem he is fit and well enough to go back to work. YEAH.. NO!!!

So our options seem to present at the hospital whenever his pain is not in control.. I'm concerned that he may be hospitalised (which could be good) BUT brings back many memories :((

Doing what we Do!!

Hot day here in Brisbane.. Muggy. So Minigoat and I are headed to the Library (airconditioned goodness) to program Term 1 Scouts. He's the new Scout Leader and I'm the one with programming experience.. so I'm sure we'll whip this over in no time at all.. :)

We are in for a super busy year with Scouts. 

Next January is the Australian Scout Jamboree and with that we need to prepare our Scouts for the biggest Scouting experience they will probably ever have, unless they attend an International Jamboree.

They must have a minimum level of skills and while we are aware of other groups which give free passes so to speak.. we WANT to make sure our Scouts go in as prepared as possible to ensure their Jamboree is a great experience not a struggle. 

Venting ... sorry

Busy morning. The Man has applied for Disability Support. Did we ever expect to be going down this path.. no way.

Amazing to think that one little needle in 2007 has had such an effect on our lives. 

It's about time Australia got it's act together (in so many ways) and provided immediate no-fault  compensation to those who have adverse effects from immunisation.  More info here in the Medical Journal of Australia. The MJA. They put forward a case for providing for those people instead of them having to go through an adversarial court case when they are already dealing with life changing circumstances. 

This sounds fair.. don't you think??

No-fault compensation, based on the ethical principle of redistributive justice, should form a cornerstone of Australia’s immunisation strategy

This might also allow the 'treatment' of the patient to be more co-hesive. The Man in his clinical notes some ignorant Dr had the nerve to actually write that this condition which we now know is Transverse Myelitis, was 'ALL IN HIS HEAD'. 

He was bundled off to see a Dr who specialised in Geriontology. Hmmmm at 41 years of age they sent him to see a Dr looking at the effects of aging. She took one look at him and told him he needed to see a Neurologist. That it was NOT in his head as his notes stated. 

Maybe with a no-fault system he would not have been treated like a 'law suit waiting to happen'. Just maybe he might have had the medical tests and treatment that could have arrived at the diagnosis in a more timely manner. Rather than waiting from the injection in Feb 2007 to Diagnosis of TM in June 2011 while investigation after investigation occurred. Maybe his symptoms might have been treated more aggressively with the appropriate medication instead of 'paracetamol' for neuraligea 

I know that he has a rare condition... but surely there is a checklist that Dr's go by... when a patient starts to present with (and I have only picked the symptoms he had.. not all the TM symptoms. Remembering also that at this point he WAS A PATIENT IN THE HOSPITAL. A major teaching hospital at that... and we are grateful (seriously) that he was still in the hospital after a nurse when flushing a canula the Dr's wanted remove created 30cm clot in his forearm.  He didn't arrive with a full set of symptoms.. they were watching as it happened as it happened. They had front row seats.. 

sudden paresthesias  - (abnormal sensations such as burning, tickling, pricking, or tingling) in the legs, sensory loss,

paraparesis (partial paralysis of the legs). 

Paraplegia (paralysis of the legs and lower part of the trunk). 

Urinary bladder and bowel dysfunction. 

Muscle spasms, a general feeling of discomfort, 

headache

fever 

Oh and respiratory problems as well.

Add to that voice - vocal cords weren't working

Ear cramp... in the ear.

Are there THAT many conditions with the same symptoms? Really? AND AND AND... I've just put in the symptoms in an online diagnosis ... which I don't think is the right thing to do at all if you are experiencing any of these symptoms NOW.. I was just checking to see if it could come up with a diagnosis and YES.. acute Tranverse Myeltis is on the list. 

So in my frustration... I managed with the same information and symptoms SPECIALISTS were seeing and hearing my husband complain of AS IT HAPPENED to get a diagnosis from a computer program.. 

Ok VENT over for today. I know he received the very best of care at the time. BUT how bloody frustrating it is to be in his shoes - our shoes. He might have received the injection but as a family WE are all victims/survivors of the adverse reaction he had. 

Recipe - Vegie Salad with Pomegranate

I just put this on another blog to win some yummy scrummy salad dressing and oil...mmm BUT I thought to myself I should put it on my own lil blog so here it is with the yummy photo to go with it.. well not the best photo. It really does not do this salad justice...

Joe's Roast Vegie Salad with Pomegranate/Mango
An ever evolving salad depending on the season and our tastes

We use a mix of roast vegies. Cut into small (not tiny) pieces

Our favourites

Potato
Sweet Potato
Pumpkin
Parsnip
Beetroot
Carrot (I hate this but the family seem to love it so I pick it our. )
Cherry Tomatoes (take out when they are suitably 'roasted')
We also pop some garlic heads in with the vegies... mmm

Rocket and Salad Leaves. Must include the Rocket for that little extra zing.

Proscuitto, Pancetta or Bacon - crispy .. I don't always use this.

Parmesan Cheese .. thinly shaved

Leftover Ciabatta made into croutons.

In a large bowl toss the salad leaves with the roast vegies, garlic, bacon cheese and croutons.

Just before serving sprinkle the delicious Pomegranate seeds over the top or Mango finely diced.

Variations include adding Chicken (hot or cold)sometimes breast sometimes leftover schnitzels
We might add some thinly sliced beef or lamb... 

Home

Woodpuddle is the nickname for where we live. A play on words which we cleverly came up with. We are not the only inhabitants. There are many animals, wallabies, bandicoots, birds such as King Parrots (our favourites), Kookaburras and currently we have the Pacific Baza and of course I can't forget BUGS.moths, spiders, mozzies. frogs, toads, snakes and more bugs .... lol. we don't mind sharing our home.... ok we prefer the snakes stay away.

If you want a peek .. an ad the house was in. 

The first couple of seconds show Woodpuddle - the blue house. See you can visualise what I talk about now. 

We didn't know how the ad would turn out or what brand it was for when it was filmed but to our delight/embarrassment the ad was showing at the cinema when I took the kids to see ???  I can't remember. I have no doubt the people in the audience remember us though as we squealed in shock.."that's our house".. LOL and sat there laughing and looking at each other saying 'WHAT THE!!" 

I'm not joking when I say it is beautiful... I am grateful everyday I am here.The tree is home to Brush Turkeys  and through the day and night many other species including the Powerful Owl. 

So that's it for today. nothing deep just a bit of me....


A little something that I created.. made me feel good.

fun doodling... soothes the savage mummy    :)