Spur Me On............

Well my sore foot has finally caught up with me. Turning 50 brings the odd health problem including joints and bone issues. My issue is with my heel. You see, the tissue that forms the arch of my foot is called the plantar fascia.It is a ligiment that connects the tissue that runs from your heel bone down to the ball of the foot. Apparently its job is to transmit weight across the foot when a person walks or runs. With time this tissue can become worn out which is what happened to me. Over the years for various reasons ranging from a broken leg to a weakened ankle and gout this tissue became inflamed and irritated. Of course, standing constantly each day doesn't help and between the two I developed a calcaneus spur, which is the formation of a hook on the end of the heel bone and because the tissue is worn out there is nothing there to pad the pointed bone from sticking into the muscle and skin. So with all of this in mind I don't feel so bad complaining that my foot does indeed hurt. I am currently trying ice packs when the pain is extremely severe, anti-inflamatories which I really would prefer not to have to take each day, and complete rest. I am hoping that the orthapedic surgeon will have some better ideas when I go to see him. I am told that it takes between 3 months and 12 months to get any sort of permanent relief. Just goes to prove how vital decent impact shoes are. Have a good day everyone.

Time for us......

Christmas time, my favourite time of year. It is time to write out my recipe menu for this season, what will we have for Christmas Day when J's family comes together? What will we have on Christmas Eve when the six of us share dinner together and toast the wonderful season of Christmas together. Some years ago when our Children were very little, we choose to have a bit of that old fashioned Christmas, of enjoying the true meaning of the festive season and of understanding what it’s like to wake up in a house filled with love on Christmas morning. Our immediate family Christmas’ have long ago stepped back to a pace where we look forward to Christmas together by giving what we could make and bake and share amidst the four of us; now the six of us. How lucky are we to have tow very special people join our family who share these same values. It certainly makes life less stressful when one is not consumed by the latest gismos, or worrying about spending more than we have. I can remember my grandmother telling me stories about sewing clothes and dolls for the children on Christmas Eve. Credit cards were not available then, people spent what they could afford and not what they were pressured into buying for their children. There was little media bombardment to buy, buy, buy! And Christmas Day was filled with the enjoyment of being together; not whether the house you visited had the latest x-box or Kinnect games. It gave us all a greater sense of community back then; a sense of family and fellowship I guess you could call it.
And so J and I have tried to instill in our next generation this same concept. I believe it has worked well for all of us. We must be the odd family out at Christmas and birthday times when we choose to spend little on material things and instead spend hours making and baking for each other. LA simpler life isn’t necessarily perfect in fact sometimes I think it can be quite hard but there are fewer demands on your spending ability, fewer avenues to take you down the wrong road. One simply needs to choose to move in this direction. Keeping up with the Joneses is left for those who feel that particular need and in place of all of this we have peace of mind. I once read a book by the Dalai Lama who wrote that “true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn will be achieved through the cultivation of love and compassion and the elimination of materialism and greed.” How true is that.
So what did J and I find in our recipe hunt? Some wonderful Aussie recipes to enjoy during the summer. Garlic bacon and chilli potato salad, pumpkin and pinenut salad, Avacado and Mango salad, a gorgeous greek feta salad that made my mouth water and deserts galore. I have a recipe for rum balls that a lady once gave me. Her great grandmother made them and passed the recipe down through the generation. Oh wonderful to be able to plan ahead.
Have a great evening everyone

Summer has arrived.....

November has turned Spring into Summer here in Sydney. Last week I wondered when the cooler weather was eventually going to leave us and before I knew it the humidity of summer hit with a vengence. In the garden the flowers are still in bloom but beginning to look tired; their leaves are a flourishing gleen but appear wilted in the heat of the day. Yesterday here in Sydney the temperature reached a high of 30 degrees and brought with it some very high humidity indeed. Today will be the same again. It is damp and hot already, a wind blows that is warm, foretelling of a change to come later this evening. Flox and pansies are in bloom, along with dainty baby's breath. The garden is full of new life from the recent rains, making it look a heathy green, yet this extreme heat is taking it's toll on them. Right now, Miss K and I are thinking about takinga dip in the pool to cool off.
Yesterday I left Jervis Bay at 4:30am and decided to take the Grand Pacific Drive via Kiama to come home. One can often catch some magnivicent sunrises out over the Pacific Ocean whilst driving along here. On approach to Bolang, which is just past Bomaderry' an old country rail track crosses the road and continues throuh a group of factories. The train was moving slowly across the roadway and appeared to be moving slow enough through the factories so as the staff could fill the huge freight wagons and trucks with their cargo. I am still not sure exactly what that way. A number of carriages passed when the train came to a hult and a shunter which is a man who breaks apart and joins the carriages, stood and unhooked two of the wagons. The train continued to move and a break appreared for the traffic to drive through. It was not until I began to cross that I looked along to the remainder of the train yet to cross the road, and realized that there were several dozen carriages yet to be filled. Indeed, this train must be a kilometer long or possibly more. It was fascinating to watch. I hope that everyone stays cool today and has a relaxing Sunday.

Only 11 weeks to Christmas.......

It is exactly 11 weeks today, until Christmas. I was amazed to be told this. I wonder where this year has gone in fact, some days I have to remember what year we are in as these years seem to be flying past us.
I always love Christmas, most especially the lead up to Christmas Day. I have always tried to make our Christmas gathering for my immediate family, very special and so far the immediate family have loved each and every effort. Before K and A had partners there was just the five of us as B was with us then. As I sit and type this blog I am reminded of the first Christmas after he passed away.
We had to move house immediately after B died. It was a matter of a month or so because the house had been sold. That first Christmas was heart breaking for us as we were still reeling from all that had happened. I can look back now and say from personal experience that people expect grieving parents to get over it and get on with life. They do not want to know nor understand the pain parents are experiencing. Poor J was so sad at that time that it seemed impossible for him to enjoy any of the festivities but he marched on regardless. My sister made a thoughtless comment on that Christmas Day that after five months he should get "get over it" especially as B had not lived in this new house. I remember thinking that people simply have no idea, not even an incling. They have no idea of the depth and breath of such pain; the memories (regardless of new homes or moving house) and the love do not simply end with a funeral. Then only a few weeks later a caring friend sent me an email with the following......


The time of concern is over. No longer are we asked how we're doing. Never are the names of our children mentioned to us. A curtain descends. The moment has passed. Life's slip from frequent recall. There are exceptions: close and compassionate friends, sensitive and loving family. Still look. Still ask. Still listen. Thank God for them. For most, the drama is over. The spotlight is off. Applause is silent.

But for us the play will never end. The effects on us are timeless. What can be said, you ask? Please say "their names" to us. Love does not die. Their names are written on our lives. You may feel that they are dead. We feel that they are of the dead and still they live. They ghost-walk our souls, beckoning in future welcome. You say, "They were our children"; we say "They are". Please say "their names" to us and say "their names" again. It hurts to bury their memory in silence. What they were in flesh is no longer with us. What they are in spirit stays within us always. They were of our past but they are part of our now. They are our hope for the future. Please understand we cannot forget. We would not even if we could.

We know that you cannot know, yesterday we were like you. Understand that we dwell in both flesh and spirit. We do not ask you to walk this road. The ascent is steep and the burden heavy. We walk it not by choice. We would rather walk it with them in the flesh, looking not to spirit worlds beyond. We are what we have to be. What we have lost, you cannot feel. What we have gained you may not see. Please say " their names" for they are alive. We will meet them again, although in many ways we've never parted. Their spirits play light songs, appear in sunrises and sunsets. They are real and shadow, they were and they are.

Please say "their names" to us and say "their names" again.
They are our children and we love them as we always did.
More each day.

"PLEASE, SAY THEIR NAMES"

- Written by an unknown author posted for all grieving parents -

When I first began to blog I made a decision not to dwell on B's passing but now I really feel it is very theraputic and from emails and comments from fellow blog readers, I know that others appreciate reading the experiencs as many times it may help them so J and I decided to occassionally add a blog that will include our B.

Getting back to Christmas...each year we have a christmas bauble made with Ben's name on it and the year it was made, and we buy a huge pack of ferrora roche chocolates ( his favourates) to share at our special family gatering. When the extended family have a Christmas celebration on Christmas Day we have our special family gathering on Christmas Eve. I am looking forward to it this year. I wonder how I can make it extra special for the six of us. Yes, there are six of us these days and of course, young B will be here in spirit, his bauble on the tree, his chocolates ready to serve with coffee after dinner.

Booderee National Park.....

J and I arrive at work each morning right on sunrise. We drive through Booderee National Park in order to access the base so each day there is often something different to watch as we arrive. One morning I stopped to allow an echidna to cross the road, he waddled across as fast as he could lol. Another morning I stopped to let some sea eagles finish picking at some road kill however, as soon as they realized that I was there they took flight. Most mornings we slow to take in the magnivicent views of Jervis Bay. There are few spots where one can view the base, te waters and the islands from the road way and the view is always worth slowing down for.

The first photo is of one of the kangaroos who are currently carrying tiny babies. This one was hanging over the top of it's mother's pouch taking in all of the activity around the base.

Sunrise is always beautiful here at Jervis Bay. Each day is different in one way or another but always breath taking. I hope that you enjoy my photos.

Some storm pics.....

A few photos taken during the May storms down at Ulladulla. The sheer power and force of the ocean is amazing. It sweeps and turns without notice and the waves can become huge all at once.

Happy Father's Day!!!!!!!!!

It has been one week since Father’s Day here in Australia. J and I have never encouraged a materialistic celebration of Mothers and Fathers Day but rather we have made it a time where our little family comes together to share some quality time over a meal, sometimes a picnic or even an evening out. I have always looked forward to these times and will continue to in the future.











This year we had Sunday lunch together and played cards in the afternoon, spent hours talking, laughing and planning. My son’s lovely girlfriend came as did my daughter’s wonderful young man. I sat back and viewed J while he enjoyed himself. He really is a good Dad, he is so full of love and compassion; a man who sees his glass as being half full rather than half empty. J has always had so much time for those around him, especially our children and their partners. I have always considered myself to be an extremely lucky woman to have found in him not only the love of my life but the person whom I am predestined to spend the rest of my life with. J keeps me grounded and reminds me of where we have come from and just how lucky we are.









He has always been remarkably encouraging, caring and fun loving to all of us throughout the years and to see the close relationship that he has with our children is a testament to that support. When you think about it, in the end all we will leave our children that is of any real value, are the memories and the love we gave to them during our lifetime.










So Father’s Day is really something very special in our home, it is a time to say thanks to Dad in a way he loves best, that is, having fun and enjoying quality time with him.
Happy Father’s Day J x