The Best Way To End A Busy Few Weeks

The past few weeks have been a mixture of stress, busyness and fun.

It began with half yearly exams. I can't believe how much work I put into these exams. Why was no one else as stressed about them as I was?? Some were far more blase about them than others and I think the idea of high school exams was lost of Miss E. If you've read over something once then you have studied right? Hmmm....thank goodness they are over, but there is a lot of work to be done before the next ones.

Then came the climax to 5 months of rehearsals for Miss E's school musical.

Miss E had 5 lines in a 3 hr production. Riveting. Blinked and I would have missed it. She was Bruiser, the abbatoir worker. She certainly did a convincing job of playing the town bogan. A little bit too convincingly really. It certainly was an entertaining production, full of bloopers impromptu moments, sound gremlins and some um, bad unique singing.

It was a big week. She had full days of rehearsals and then late nights performing. It is actually rather a relief it is all over.

So what better to do the next day to recover than to head to Sydney to meet J and her daughter G for a girls weekend. We were tired and Miss E slept for two hours on the trip down. Roadworks everywhere, a frustratingly slow trip. But we knew it would be worth it.

It has been too long since I've been able to go to Sydney and enjoy it without the having the visit/stay with family complication. Didn't let them know we were there. To be able just go, relax, have no time commitments, no pressure to attend family dinners etc, was amazing. Haven't been able to do that for over 17 years. Instead, we were able to walk the streets window shopping, reminisce about when I lived there, walk by places I worked, do the tourist thing and take in the sights. Remembering when I had a different life.

Friday night we went to see Mary Poppins. An incredible production. Music, singing, settings, everything. Loved, loved, loved it.

But the main reason we met with J and G in Sydney was to go see the ABBA exhibition. This was the last weekend it was on and we were determined to get there. Die hard ABBA fans can't miss something like that!- the opportunity to see original costumes, original memorabilia. Although we failed miserably at the ABBA quiz, so we realised we still have a lot to learn.

But the best part of the whole weekend was spending time with my soul sister. Wasn't long enough and at the end of a busy week we were tired, but we crammed in what we could. Saturday night we talked around the fire for as long as we could, laughing, confiding. Grateful our daughters are friends as well. But we wonder how long they will be able to sustain this as the effects of distance take their toll over the years to come. We shared our hopes for our children, our struggles as mothers and wives, and discussed our plans for the future- a husband, childless road trip somewhere!

And then it was over. Lucky we'll catch up next week when The Major and I fly to Adelaide for a 50th! Let the laughter continue!!

What Makes A House A Home?

One of the first things we wanted to do when we moved here was buy a house. The Major was not fussy about the type of house etc, just that it had to have a pool. I, on the other hand, cared little about having a pool but greatly about buying a house that felt like a home.

Did we achieve this? Yes, we have a pool, yes we have a house, but do we have a home? What makes a house a home anyway? There were a lot of things about the house that we didn't like and knew would need immediate address. Such as a lounge room of exposed brick walls, blue carpet and ceilings and heavy navy floral curtains. We were in agreeance to that. But the rest of the house is relatively functional yet doesn't feel like a home. It feels like a place designed by someone else. The kitchen is dark timber with federation pink benchtops. I like white and light. The laundry has peach laminate doors, I like white and light. The staircase is stained timber, I'd like it to have white railings. Skirtings and window frames are timber, I like white. Main bedroom blinds were blue and gold check, I like neutral. The bathroom was mouldy and heritage burgundy and cream, I like clean, white and light. So, it just doesn't feel like my home. A home has to be a reflection of who you are.

But there's more to a home than that. Home is what is in it as well and what it provides.

Home is cozy

Home is a refuge
Home is a sanctuary

Home is a safe place
Home is filled with family

Home is filled with memories
Home is comfy

So, do we have a home yet? We've fixed the lounge room and that feels more like me. It is cozy, it is a refuge and it is filled with family. But there's still something missing. It's not filled with memories yet. The kitchen is still dark timber with pink bench tops, the laundry is still peach. But the mould is going and the bathroom is under going "refurbishment". Pictures are slowly being hung, memories are slowly being made, plans for a kitchen 'sometime' are being made.

It seems like making a house a home is an ongoing process.

On another note, I was reminded again this week why we moved 'home'. I became an aunt again for the 7th time.

And this time I didn't have to wait months to meet my new nephew. This time he was only hours old.

And he was perfect.

Bonfire Night

I need to be reminded why we moved home, Saturday night was it. With Dad's birthday last Thursday and Mum's today, the family gathered for a bonfire at the farm.

And this is why we moved home. So we don't always miss these family events. There is really nothing that fills the hole that family does.

Simple, but just so perfect.

Glow sticks to keep the smaller ones happy

sparklers

soup

marshmallows

And family. The reason we came home.


On another note, came home from school to find Miss E cooking this afternoon. Cupcakes. All good except she used 400gms butter instead of 40gms. And to thicken the mixture up a bit, she added extra sugar. Very decadent little cupcakes. One will take me the next decade to wear off!

Through course of conversation with my 16 year old Mr B, he randomly announced that sometimes I dress weird. Whoah, wait!! What do you mean? He couldn't give an exact example. But it got me thinking.It must have been that Katies shirt! I should never have shopped there. Mum shops there. What am I doing shopping there?? But I kinda like that shirt.....

So I had a look through my closet, flicked through my photos. Do I really look weird??

(Masquerade Ball)

(Ummm, I really can't explain this one)

(Where's Wally- book week at school a few years ago)

Nope.. No idea what he's talking about.


I don't like what I see when I look in the mirror. It's like you hit the big 4-0 (which I may or may not have hit) and then everything just gives up.
First it's the eyes. Wrinkles underneath, bursting out to the side. Then the neck and chest area. That can't be happening. Crevices (running basically from my navel to my chin) when I wake up that take half the day to dissipate. They say photos don't lie, but when I look at photos I really, REALLY hope they do. That can't be me. That's not how I imagine myself in my mind.

webwombat.com.au

Reality is

Fortunately there is no grey hair yet. I wonder if I'm going to be able to embrace my inner grey when the time comes...

Sigh. Seriously, how/where do you shop when you hit this in between age? What do you wear that isn't dowdy but not inappropriate? I've googled, I've observed, I've bought magazines and I still seem stuck. Doesn't help that I live in a small town with small options. Not that I want to become consumed with what I wear. I just want to not age before my time. This is what I wore today.

Digging into the files

Is it really that weird??