Day 3312 - Dig deep .... there's always something to love

Just when you think there's nothing to love, the Universe sends you a magpie ...

I was sitting at my desk yesterday morning looking at the rain outside the window and wondering why life couldn't be a little bit easier.  Why are there such horrible diseases in our world, why is there so much heartache for some, why can't miracles be more widely distributed.  

I was wondering what the hell I could possibly love about life when a magpie came to the balcony and sat right outside our French doors to escape the rain and warbled his lovely magpie song.  It was more like yodeling to be honest and I thought "Cathy would love this".  

Day 3309 - I Remember When ....

I remember when I was a size 0

Sure it was almost 30 years ago and it was short lived, but when I first arrived in the USA in 1991 I went shopping for a pair of jeans and walked away with a big fat zero on my label.  An American summer full of beer, fun and fries, and the resulting 20+ pounds, put an end to those jeans pretty quickly. But there was a time ...

Day 3305 - A celebration of unity

The love knot

On Tuesday I arrived at the Gold Coast to spend a quick two days with the husband as he plays basketball at the Pan Pacific Masters games.  What is usually a boys trip had to allow for a touch of estrogen as I flew in to spend my 20th wedding anniversary with the hubby.

Day 3302 - Photo Shoot for Cheer Chick Charlie

"I just want kids to feel good about themselves"

Photographer Penny captured Darcie and the ducks who were strutting their stuff

I've been in desperate need to update my Cheer Chick Charlie promotional photos (for years if the truth be known), so last week I organised for 8 children in the Charlie age dynamic to become models for a day.  

Day 3298 - See 62000 Crocheted Poppies at the Australian War Memorial

From little things, big things grow 

Can crocheted poppies actually grow?

It seems they can!

120 crocheted poppies "planted" at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne in 2013 by Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight has grown into a field of 62,000 currently planted outside the Australian War Memorial in the lead up to Remembrance Day 2018.

Day 3295 - We see what we want to see, we hear what we want to hear

Perception is an interesting thing ...

We see the world not as it is, but as we are.

If we are angry, bitter and negative, then we tend to view the world through angry, bitter and negative eyes.  If we are open, friendly and positive then we tend to focus on the good in each situation.

Day 3291 - You're never too old to try something new

Have you ever tried your hand at acting?

Who's ready to try new things today?

I am!

Day 3288 - Cooking for others while they are sick

Has anyone ever brought you a home cooked meal when you're struggling?  

Back in the day, cooking for people was the easiest form of support.  Long before Uber Eats, dial-a-pizza and store bought frozen dinners, people would help their family and friends simply by delivering home cooked meals to get them through the hard times.  Whether it be illness, injury, heartbreak, job loss or death of a loved one, food was the answer.

Day 3284 - Should we give our kids participation medals?

What does a trophy mean to you?

Trophies for best & fairest and most improved 

I am smack bang in the middle of awards season with our soccer club.  We had our Community Juniors Presentation event last weekend and we've got our National Premier League event tonight.

I love seeing the smiles on kids faces when they walk away with their medals and trophies.  Medals to congratulate them on another full season of playing the sport they love, and trophies to those children who shone a little brighter than the rest. 

I'm an advocate for recognising participation, but there is still a big school of thought out there that believes trophies should only be given to winners.

Day 3281 - Being in pain is a pain

I'm one of those people who is always in pain ...

Being in pain is my normal. As with many people I live with chronic pain that is hidden beneath my smile.  The smile becomes a way of masking what's actually going on. When the mask comes off, the frown lines appear.