Awards and people who deserve them more than I do

Well how lucky am I? I have been given a Versitile Blogger Award!

Although I am not really a worthy candidate, I have actually been given 3  ( you guys are so sweet)– but typical me is only getting around to thanking my lovely awarders now.

So without further ado I would like to thank the lovely Janelle from ‘Me & Mia’, E. From ‘Whining at the World’ and Lene from ‘Musings of Another Mother’ for this honour. All wonderful blogs and well worth adding to your reading list!

This is one of those awards that dictates me to tell you guys 7 things about myself you don’t already know...  Ok here goes:

1.       Due to my apparently deprived childhood, I have never seen a single episode of the Smurfs nor have I watched Mary Poppins and I only saw Star Wars for the first time last year – this is apparently abnormal and a problem to most people.

2.       I am absolutely terrified of dentists, the last time I went was when I was 11 and I plan to keep it that way. – However I am a hypocrite and make the kids go every year.

3.       I don’t drink alcohol. At all.

4.       I have worked in a pet shop most of my life – and before you get all animal rights activist on me, we are one of the good ones who actually CARE about the animals and I am never afraid to refuse sale of a pet to someone I don’t think will be a worthy owner.

5.       I was a teenage mother (gasp!) and I have a very special hatered towards those who judge people without full understanding of their circumstances.

6.   I have trouble finishing what I start.

7.        

 I would also like to share the love and nominate 13 truly awesome blogs for this prestigious award, even though many probably already have it:

DAISY ROO & TWO:  Ms Daisy mother of Roo (& Two) has proven herself an amazing writer, capturing the hearts and minds of many readers around the world as she tells us personal tales of her life as a wife and mother, her posts are always enjoyable, often funny, sometimes sad and her proven versatility as a blogger more than qualifies her for this award.  

INK PAPER PEN:  I am quite certain that Gill has had this award bestowed upon her before, probably multiple times, but I would like to throw it at her again anyhow. Gill is the brain child behind Write On Wednesdays, an online writers group that lets us have fun, challenge ourselves and learn new tactics to improve our writing skills each week. Anyone can join in W.O.W just head over to Ink Paper Pen for the weekly brief and linky yourself up!

MEANINGLESS MEANDERINGS OF A MAD MOTHER: Mad Mother is mother to two gorgeous boys (Boy 1 & Boy 2)  Boy 1 being on the Autism spectrum, we share in the families challenges and joy, as adversity is overcome and her stories are a constant reminder of the important things in life. With a very clear talent in writing, the inspiration Mad Mother sends out through her words is a gift to all of her readers.

CANDYS FAMILY: Now Candy is one amazing lady, police women turned fulltime mother and proud Goulburn resident she tells us tales of the ups and downs of her life, always with the ability to make us laugh as she wrangles seven (count em 7!) beautiful children, three of whom are on the Autism Spectrum.

THE HOUSE THAT A-M BUILT: Anne Marie is a lady of incredible strength, sharing with her readers images of beauty and tales of amazing personal courage as she raises her two beautiful sons. She designed and built a beautiful house (the envy of many) and now having had a complete change of life circumstances over the last 12 months not only has she has braved the odds and come through shining, she has repeatedly used her blog to help out the less fortunate along the way.

MY LITTLE DRUMMER BOYS: Have you ever dreamed of touring around our beautiful sunburnt land in a caravan? Well right now we can all live vocariously through Trish’s stunning photography and fun stories as she and her gorgeous family tour around Australia.

BABY MAC: While I am quite certain Beth has had this award somewhere amongst many others in her blogger trophy cabinet, I would like to send it out again as I have only recently discovered her blog!  A talented photographer Beth takes us on a tour of her life in a small Australian town through beautiful images and hilarious, fun and often thought provoking words. Baby Mac is a refreshingly honest and very versatile blog to read.

EDENLAND: A lady who needs no introduction and possibly the most well known blogger in the southern hemisphere, Eden Riley has inspired everyone who has every read her. We have cried, laughed and dreamed right along with her and her amazing family as she tells us in unbroken honesty of the lessons life has thrown at her.  Eden makes the rest of us better people through her writing, she truly is a versatile blogger.

WHERES MY GLOW? ‘Glowie’ as she is fondly known by her followers, despite her moniker is certainly not lacking in the glow department, a despiser of poor grammar and spelling and mother of beautiful son ‘Tricky’ her posts are always a joyful read. From her amusing ability to re-sub title famous film clips to her devotion to blog-flogging Glowless has certainly become one of the shining beacons of the blogging world.

MAXABELLA LOVES: Inspirational till the end and always a versatile blogger, mother of three Maxabella is the person who has taught us all to be grateful for the small things. Blogging about life in general and the home/work balance, her words have a unique way of getting us thinking. Maxabella is also the most amazing party planning person you have ever seen, the photos of some of her events will blow your mind!

MY BIG NUTSHELL: Fairly new to the Blogging scene, in fact with less than a year under her belt Gemma has been a welcome and popular face in the blogosphere, her matter of fact take on life gets you thinking, and frequently laughing. Despite claiming to be “teetering on the edge of insanity’ Gemma is one very real and down to earth lady who’s blog is a pleasure to read.

KEEP CATE BUSY: Cate is at the very end of her 365 days of her inspirational goal to do one thing a day for a year that fills her life with joy, meaning and pride and despite her recent personal battles this mother of three has done an amazing job at it! Well done Cate, thank you for sharing your life with us and I bestow upon you another Versatile Blogger Award for your continued commitment to inspiring yourself and others.

MADAM BI POLAR: Well we all know Saw-hole as 'Woogsworld' staff member extroidonaire but she has now begun her own blog "Madam Bi Polar", a more serious tone in which she discusses her own struggles and triumphs with Bipolar Disorder. A truly inspirational read that offers insight into a world you may know nothing about or be all too familiar with.

Healing Hands

This is kind of a recount of something special I witnessed when visiting my friend in the mental health unit the other day....

Healing Hands

The daisies underneath the weeping willow were closing as the shadows of nightime began to fall outside the window of the tiny room.

Amongst the dust and grandmotherly chairs, an old wooden piano stood out, its beauty finally brought to life after waiting patiently in the same spot for years with nothing for company but the old grandfather clock.

Music echoed through the hallways, beatiful enchanting music - And they came.

Like rat's to the pied piper, the people had followed and soon the doorway was filled with an audience of the scared the overwhelmed and the lonely.

Brought together in this moment, they had gathered with unanimous awe for the young man sitting at the old piano, playing without written notes to reflect upon.

A small bead of sweat ran down the dark skin of the young doctor as his fingers hit the keys, the passion he felt through his semi closed eyes radiated to the world around him, and people wondered aloud if perhaps he had missed his true calling.

A wave of calm and serenity washed over the unlikely audience and they were one, the failings of life temporarily forgotten.

The music stopped suddenly and the young doctor arose from his chair, momentarily embarrassed by his onlookers, he smiled and walked out of the room quickly, his healing hands had other work to do.


Do you sometimes find beauty in unexpected places?

A Chance for New Beginnings

The rain pelted down heavily as I searched for the entrance, damn I must have missed it. I kept driving straight for a while squinting through the twighlight and fog on my windscreen for a safe place to turn around. I hate driving in unfamiliar areas, particularly in these conditions and even more so for the reasons I was going there.

I found my turn and proceeded to work my way through the maze of cars until I found a car park comfortably close to the building but solitary all the same.

I put on the hand brake and reviewed the text message sitting open on my phone for a minute, ‘Hey, don’t freak out but I’m in the hospital...’ I closed my eyes for a second took a deep breath and got out of the car.

I was prepared to make the mad dash through the rain, but it forgivingly turned to drizzle as I headed towards the big red EMERGANCY sign appearing to flash in the halo of glare that had formed around it. I entered the door to the right, as I had been instructed and was greeted by a labyrinth of shiny corridors.

I approached a desk towards the end with a middle aged blonde women sitting behind it, ‘2N?’ I enquired nervously ‘Through those doors love’ she smiled back warmly. The heavy double wooden doors loomed ominously ahead, the words ‘Mental Health’ written in a matter of fact manner on the front. Another deep breath.

The world through those wooden doors was a busy one, it was dinner time and the clanking of the trays on metal carts an ever present reminder of your surroundings, any thoughts that it could be a regular hospital ward were slightly overshadowed by the people.

They looked lost, the people- it struck me that most of them were men. One was sitting against a wall staring into space, another walking around talking and laughing to people only he could see. It felt very revealing being there, like I was exposed somehow, intruding into their secret pain.

A nurse found my friend for me, she was sitting in the courtyard smoking, looking weary, but kind of peaceful and a damn sight better than the last time this had happened that’s for sure. We made our pleasantries as we do when we don’t know quite what to say to each other. She motioned me to sit in the covered area and she went to get us coffee.

 The setting was very different to inside, calm, healing – fitting, I suppose.  I could see why she preferred it.

Wind chimes and mosaic sculptures hung from the trees twirling hypnotically in the breeze, the small garden beds filled with lavender and herbs mixed aromatically with the smell of the rain. Bamboo screens sheltered the area from the visual noise of the car park but the streetlights still shone down, bright yet peaceful, their light reflecting gently off the leaves of Large Japanese Maples.

My friend returned with the coffee, and some biscuits, we talked about how she had come here, what had happened, and what should happen next. I felt a lot more hope this time, and so did she.

 Unlike last time, her arrival had not been a traumatic ride in the back of an ambulance fighting for the life she didn’t want to have, but instead holding the hands of her mother and her boyfriend with a referral from the doctor. This time, it seems her pleas for help may have been answered.

Holidays - week one

Well this week went unusually fast for the first week of the school holidays and especially so considering I was ready to kill the children by 4pm last Friday, I didnt achieve anything I set out to, The Husband is trying to give up smoking and my mother came to stay for 4 days.

The World through the eyes of a giant sheep...

So Mum's intention was to get a fix of the grandchildren in a relaxing country atmosphere so of course we immediately left the bush and went town-wards to play tourist in 'little-big smoke' aka Goulburn for the day.

Goulburn is not only the first inland city but it's also home of the lovely Candy from ‘Candy’s Family’ and her tribe of children whom I occasionally bump into in the bread isle at Aldi.

 We drove around a bit but the weather was terrible and we got lost twice and ended up hungry, we decided to skip the golden arches for once and ate at a fancy looking bakery called ‘Trappers’ who’s food and coffee well and truly lived up to the abundance of ‘Award Winner’ signs posted all over the outside of the building. 

I was surprised when sitting in said bakery and quickly glancing at Twitter (damn addiction) that the lovely ‘Glowless’ from ‘Where’s My Glow?’ had put up my ‘He did what? Wednesday’ post – thanks Glowy! – And then had to hide my surprised “oh wow” from my mother, who doesn’t know (and hopefully never will) that I write a blog....

 Before heading home, we visited Rambo, the quite anatomically correct giant sheep also known as ‘The Big Marino’, the kids loved it, running up and down the stairs yelling and screaming repeatedly. It turns out that the hollow inner shell of a giant ram makes for the most fantastic accoustics. The lady at the gift shop was suitably unimpressed, but humoured us with a half smile when we spent $1 on a postcard as we were leaving.

I'm so mature

  

 One week down, one to go...  What have you been up to this school holidays?







Write On Wednesday

Well Better late than never, I havn’t had much opportunity to participate in WOW of late and I have really been missing it! I was glad to finally find some time this week. If you havn’t already pop over to Ink Paper Pen and have a look at all the great stories.

I have gone over the 200 words (sorry) but my excuse is that my character is actually based on two people I observed while watching some road works and I wanted to include them both, inspiration comes in funny places sometimes!

Lou braked heavily and the water tanker rounded the corner throwing a big cloud of dust into the air sending his white hair brown, he wrinkled his brow and coughed, should have closed the bloody window.  He sighed and adjusted himself in the seat, the cracks in the old leather were irritating his sweaty back as he bumped his way along the country lane, following the large yellow grader up and down, up and down, just as he had for the last 27 years.

Lou could feel heat radiating onto his weathered face, the circadas were chirping already, it was going to be another stinker. A cold stubbie and one of Mary’s cheese and ham sanga’s would go down a treat about now, how long til smoko? A shiny white ute pulled alongside him, “Mornin ‘Lou” a young bloke with sunnies perched on the top of his curly dark hair sang out the window, “how are ya? Workin hard?  Or hardly workin?”

Rob had taken over the business when his dad had passed away last year, full of his own importance and always a bit too happy for Lou’s liking, he knew very little about not a lot and Lou felt that frankly a Kelpie probably could have done a better job organizing things than he did.

Lou nodded back, “G’day Rob.” “Hey Lou,” Rob smiled “Do ya reckon you could stay back till 4 today? I hate to hold you up but I want to get this section finished today, you know councils got there deadlines...”  “Lou stared at Rob in disbelief, Mate, you know I can’t, not today I’ve gotta knock off at 1, Mary’s got her appointment, and I can’t miss it!”

“Well Lou, it’s up to you but it doesn’t look like there’s going to be much work over the next few months and I’m going to have to give it to the blokes who are prepared to go the extra mile, know what I mean?. It’s alright mate, you’ll make the right choice!” Rob winked, jumped back into the ute and sped off.

Lou glanced into the mirror as the little flashing orange light disappeared from view. ‘Bastard ’ he muttered under his breath.

RUOK?

Well are you?

I hope this question can make a big difference, I really, really do. I unfortunately can’t help but be a tad sceptical towards the proffessionals running this campain as in my experience, sometimes the people who do ask for help seem to be the ones that get labelled attention seekers or simply ignored. To get help in the past it would seem you have to be dragged kicking and screaming against your will to a hospital by a third party. Then they might listen.

I wrote HERE about my friend who tried to commit suicide a few years ago, the one they tried to release from hospital 24 hours later cause she ‘promised’ she wouldn’t do it again. It was lucky her mother put her foot down at the hospital that day or my friend would have simply taken her next opportunity. Struggling with mental health issues for over a decade, she went up and asked for help, simply and directly a number of times, but obviously she didn’t ‘really’ need it as she had asked on her own, without duress. No help was given, not even a referral. That was why she gave up.

So it’s all very well for us to ask RUOK? But if that answer is a NO, then what? Will anybody actually be there on a professional level to help you or will you just be filed in an office somewhere while the beurocrats hope that you somehow get over it or you take matters into your own hands so that your name can be crossed of their little list and they are seen to be doing their job. So the people running this campain ask us RUOK? I hope that they are prepared to listen to the answer.

I’m sorry about my cynical view on this subject, and I hope so much that this day gives people an opportunity to talk to their friends, talk to their family, even write about it on their blogs, because sometimes it’s just the act of talking to people who give a damn that helps you realise you are not alone and makes you feel so very much better.

Everyone has their bad days, there is no such thing as the perfect mother or perfect person. We are all in this world together, learning to manage the cards we have been dealt, the best way we can with the tools we have been provided and as long as we are trying, we can be proud of that. But sometimes knowing that simply isn’t enough.

 If you are in a position where you feel like you are out of options, go and speak to someone. Your partner or a friend, or even a neighbour and tell them you are NOT ok, get them to act as your support person and go and ask for help together. They will stand up for you if you are feeling too beaten down to stand up for yourself, they can argue with a medical ‘professional’ for you and they can put their foot down like my friends mum did.

Trust me, your family, loved ones and support person want you alive and healthy. If it comes to it go and stand in the Emergancy waiting room together and refuse to leave until both you and your support person are comfortable and completely satisfied with the next step, weather its hospitalization, medication, or simply a referral.

 So, R U OK?

Talk to someone, and get help together. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The Big C

Well it’s you or me. That’s pretty much all it boils down to these days. Odds are that everyone reading this blog knows someone who is affected by cancer, a staggering 1 in 11 women will eventually be diagnosed with breast cancer. The odds are even higher for prostate cancer in men.

My boss is 52, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, is fairly fit and has just been diagnosed with bowel cancer, it’s pretty bad but thankfully operable – he is currently 4 weeks of the way through 6 weeks of daily Chemo & Radiation treatments that make him sick as a dog in order to be able to go under the knife and remove the tumour that has apparently been slowly and silently trying to kill him for years.

My husband had a scare recently which currently has him sitting on a waiting list to have his right kidney and part of his bladder removed, this little process also involved a phone call from the doctor informing us that they were in discussions with various specialists, “but hopefully it is benign”. Nothing like those words to scare the bejesus out of you and make you re-think everything about your life. Thankfully for us, the specialists have decided that it is benign although they won’t know for sure until the op is done and the dodgy kidney is tested.

I go to the local Garden Club in my area, and while I am approx 30years younger than everyone there I absolutely love it. We eat great food, share great company and great advice and also as it turns out, a great deal of cancer. Probably 60% of the members are currently undergoing treatment for various cancers, are in remission or are heading towards the palliative care part of the deal.

At garden club yesterday, a lovely lady by the name of Benita attended from a group I had vaguely heard of but never paid a much attention to called CanAssist. They are a community run organisation that helps with the financial difficulties that can occur for Cancer sufferers, particularly those in rural areas. Everything from helping out with the cost of travelling to Chemo through helping pay the electricity bill – Benita pointed out that someone suffering from bone cancer needs to keep the house a lot warmer than most people and someone with lung cancer may require oxygen 24/7. These extra costs add up fast and that’s where CanAssist comes in.

The money that is raised stays in that area to help the local people. The organisation receives less than 8% financial support from the government and rely on fundraising efforts and donations from the community, so if you are interested you can go to the CanAssist website for details about donating to your local group or for information if you require financial assistance yourself or know someone who might.  

In the mean time, if you are still smoking try and quit again, Ladies don’t forget to check your boobs for any lumps or changes and suck it up and get that pap test you have been putting off done. Encourage all the male members of your family who are over 40 to go to the doctor for a prostate check – Technology has come a LONG way over the years and there are no longer any embarrassing exams, it’s a single simple little blood test and it could save their life – it saved my Father In Law!

How has cancer affected your life?