This Week

In the past week, my next door neighbours moved out and the place is quiet. However, the people two doors down are new and quite noisy... and it's not just me who has noticed this. Our caretaker doesn't like them a bit.

Then, I've been caring for the back yard - mowing it, and making sure it's healthy. And seeing it's coming into Winter, it's well and truly slowing down to the point that next month, I'll be able to do some serious work on it. I'm making sure I don't spend too much money on things I don't need - and I so I'm staying home to save that money. 
I do need a new, larger pot, more potting mix and maybe a few other pots for some other plants I have to create for the garden... just until next year.

I've been knitting recycled yarn from op-shops into beanies and tea-cosies. But I'm not making them for just anyone, these are hopefully going to be for the Pop-Up Store for the Logan Art Gallery this year. I have to talk to Jillian and ask if I can still be in the store this year. 

I'm still declutter (as you can see on 'A Work In Progress' Blog) and I'm getting really good at just giving away what I don't need anymore. Yep, I'm very good at doing this now. And like anyone, I do have my drawbacks on what I want to keep and what I don't. I guess nobody's perfect. 

Well, that's about it really. I hope this Winter is nice and cold - for once - and we do get some good chilliness this year for the sub-tropics. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

It's Almost Winter

Okay... I haven't written much, but then, it's because I've been so busy lately. But really, that's no excuse is it?

Nope.

Well, since the beginning of this year, I've been raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation and organising the Logan Artists Association to get in and help me raise the money to get my head shaved. To date, I've raised over $900! What a great lot of money to raise for a worthy cause!

I've been saving up money for personal needs around the house - like a new vacuum cleaner. My old one - a Black'n'Decker - died a few months back, and so I found one at Godfrey's and thought to save up for it. As fate would have it, Mum hurt herself, and I helped her with the ironing and she paid me for it while I was saving up some of my pension and - before I knew it - I had enough money to get myself this new vacuum cleaner: The Titan 2000. And what a cool little clean it is! It's a bagless, low noise vacuum and it pulled out so much crap out of my carpet, I couldn't believe how much dirt came out of my house!

This has caused me to put away more things, throw out more and organise my place better - all because I got in and vacuumed. How weird is that?

I've also been just throwing things into the new Donation Box by the garage door. It's big, purple and plastic - unlike the cardboard box which looked like it was falling apart. So, I've just been going through my house and tossing things into this bigger box and making decisions about what I need here and what I don't. 
Recently I threw everything from the living room floor into the Donation Box - to clean up the living room - and today I went through it and threw out three-quarters of the stuff in there in the bin; mainly because it's just newspapers and rubbish. The rest of it is donation/charity stuff.

The garden is looking good. It still needs a few things to complete it - like a few pavers and I need to buy some bags of Brunnings garden soil too. Otherwise, it's going well. Maintaining it hasn't cost me too much. I'm happy with it. I've also gotten rid of the Matchstick Tree and the Firestick Tree - mainly because they've taken over the garden and they're highly poisonous. I've also given away my fairy lights to a friend (who gets more sunlight in Winter than I do) and they would look better in her garden. I'm going to opt for the little solar spot lights instead... but I'm getting them when Spring comes around.

I've been also working hard on deciphering my late-Grandfather's diaries. It's not an easy task, seeing how many there are, but it's been a real education on what he did when he was young, how hard he worked and how he really loved Grandma; and what kind of life he led out at Cecil Plains, Allora, Warwick and Toowoomba. What a life my Grandparents led out there. I'm really glad to be doing this. And I'm not doing this just for myself - I'm working together with Mum to get these published for the family to each have a copy.

Well, that's what's been happening lately... along with my hair being donated for wigs this year. Yep, it was long enough! I hope to be writing more soon. Until my next post, take care, stay safe, and remember, I'm always here.

It's May

I'm sorry I haven't posted much. But I've been really not dealing all that well with life lately.

And it's coming up to a year since my dear friend, Hannah, passed away, and it's feeling all fresh again. I hate how I'm feeling but I really am trying to live a better life - as she asked me to before she died last year.

It's been difficult. 

I am writing to her Mum, because nobody else is. And yesterday, I sent her a Mother's Day card. You see, when I visited in 1997, she became more of Mum to me than anyone over in the UK than anyone I visited. Aunt Ethel acted like a strict Grandmother, The Berry's had their own marital problems (and they shone through their happy family charade). And so, when it came to Sue Northedge, I was treated like a daughter in so many ways, she became my Overseas Mum - and I became her Overseas Daughter. 

When Hannah died, I wrote to Sue and told her that I remember she told me that all those years ago; and then I called her and she told me that she hoped I remembered that too. And she's so pleased that I want to keep in touch; as none of Hannah's friends are really talking to her right now. It's really because nobody knows what to say when it's a suicide. And in truth, I don't know what to say either, but at least I'm trying. 

And thus: the Mother's Day Card. She is still a Mum no matter what; whether Hannah is here or not. And Sue has a son too. 

I'm also working on a few written things which aren't fiction... strange that I'm delving into non-fiction for once. And the best thing about this is that it's a family non-fiction thing I'm doing. I'd rather not say too much about it otherwise I'm going to ruin the surprise in the end for the rest of my family. 

Otherwise, I'm back working in the garden, the house is looking good. I've bought a new vacuum cleaner - a bagless one - and I'm donating more things than ever! I have to get some archive boxes in the next week and then put some away in the wardrobe so I can do more cleaning out. 

Wow! What a big weekend I have ahead of me - and it's a long weekend again too! Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Changing Seasons

It's finally beginning to look like Autumn/Fall... and I'm really happy about that! I'm beginning to really enjoy the gym; and getting back into the garden again too.

The first members exhibition at the Logan Artists Association is finished and I picked up my paintings and bought artworks for the house... and I'm getting together some of the things I'm giving away tomorrow on my day out with Elisabeth while I'm hanging out in the living room this arvo.

But today, I went to the gym, chatted to my next door neighbour and then after a shower, I repotted some of the plants in the backyard to get in and start on my maintenance of the garden. It's not going to cost me as much as it did last year - you know, over $300 - but it's just the finishing touches of the whole thing really. I'm looking forward to getting it all done. 

I'm also still knitting the beanie scarf. I'm up to the 3rd colour and; and it's looking great! And man, it's really long! I can't wait to get it finished and wearing it... but all good things take time, right?

Anyway, I'm reading and writing again. I don't know why I was in such a slump, but it's all worked out well. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Rain and Other Funny Things

Well! On Thursday last week, I got my head shaved for the World's Greatest Shave! It was done on the most humid of days, it was on a Thursday (14th, March) and Mum and Dad were there with Ellie the Grand-dog... and we had a great time at InVogue Hair Designers.

Then, that afternoon, we had a huge storm and it poured rain all night.

Okay, then, is that what it takes for Brisbane and half the state of Queensland to get rain? I have to shave off all my long red hair and donate it? I'll have to remember that one the next time Australia goes through a big dry spell again.

Only kidding!

Anyway, I've been busily looking through things, throwing out rubbish and watching my back yard green up over the past 48 hours. And man, have we been getting some big falls too! I'm so glad the rain is here! And it's getting cooler, but I'm all prepared for that too, with warmer hats and beanies - some of which I've made - and other warmer gear too.

But last week, I was out every day, either looking after Ellie, or getting the hair donated, or doing some errands around the place or going to the Logan Artists Association (but that didn't work out, so I came home). 
This week is turning out to be busier than last week, with me having two appointments on almost every day... and I'm hoping to remember them all. 

This weekend has been a good one. I've finally begun writing again. It's a slow start to a new book, but it's something at least. I hope it goes somewhere; as my character is a new one I'm also getting to know. Oh well, let's hope she's a good one. I might pair her up with another one I've written about before and it'll pull the story along into a better dimension. 

How's your week been going? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

A Few Rough Days

Over the past week or so, I've had a bit of rough time. It's been tough getting along into this new year without Hannah in it; but it's even harder to wait out the Writer's Block I have too.

So much is going on this year, and I'm so happy with how fast this year is going so far.

Thus far, my air-conditioner in the home office crapped itself and Dad and I pulled it out and put in a screen to let the air flow through again - and it's been great during the night to have that nice cool air upstairs.

I'm on the fund raising track again for the World's Greatest Shave - and this year, I'm shaving off all my hair and donating it, just like I did 4 years ago. So, by this time tomorrow, I'll have no hair, and it'll be on its way to Melbourne to be made into toupee's, wigs and fringes. 

Today, I was out and about catching up with things and doing small errands around the place when I found a little bird - kind of like a sparrow - sitting on concrete outside the post office. Well, it wasn't looking too happy, panting away there, and I picked it up and decided to look at it.
When it screamed at me but didn't bite me, I knew something was wrong. And when I found there were no fleas on this bird at all, I knew there was something really badly wrong. Fleas - you see - are the one thing which love blood flow. They feed off an animal with blood flow. And when the flow of blood is really low on an animal, they go elsewhere for their food. So, to find no fleas or mites on this bird was a red flag for me. This bird was sick and coming to the end of its life - actually when I looked closer at the bird, I realised it had suffered a huge stroke and was waiting to end its life. 
I made the decision to stay with the bird and make it comfortable, by keeping it cool. When birds have a stroke like this, they can't keep themselves cool, because they don't sweat. So, when we as Humans do this for them, it helps them comfortably die - I know this sounds morbid, but it's not. It stopped panting and I thought to move it into a tree. I couldn't leave him/her alone though. So, even though I put him/her into a lower-most branch, I stayed until it died. You see, it was blind; and so I stayed by so it wouldn't hurt itself. The stroke had blinded this poor little bird completely - as most strokes in little birds do. 
And it's been so hot lately, that a lot of little birds are really suffering from heat stroke and they're suffering from massive strokes too. It's a sad thing to realise this in my busy day of running around, but it's something to keep in mind.

I knew what to do with this little bird because my little budgie suffered a massive stroke in 2012, and I stayed by her until her last moments. It hurts to see a little bird leave this planet, but it does show us Humans that we must make sure we're here in the present moment to help the little animals - to see the smaller things in life - and not to ignore them; which so many people did when I was tending to this tiny bird.

Otherwise, I've been busily working in my garden, thinking of what else I can do for the birds and animals around the area to help them in the heat and during this year. I potted up more new herbs to see me through the Winter (as the other lots had gone to seed) and then? Well, I refilled the water platter for the birds, and thought I might get in and save for a nice one to put in the garden for the birds and animals, one closer to the ground and in the shade. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Tip-Toeing Through Life

I have found that the past few years have been a minefield of apologising to everyone around me, being sorry for who I am online and stopping myself from saying the 'wrong thing' to people who don't like what I do.

And I'm not the only one it seems.

I've just spent the last hour or so saying sorry on Facebook and on another site I'm a member of for other people's bad moods - and I damned well bloody sick and tired of tip-toeing through the tulips all because others are insulted about what I say or do.

And you know something? Those same people are all ready to say and do things towards me which insult the way I live, who I am, what I've said and how I feel without even thinking about it... without editing themselves, without stopping and seeing if they're going to stand on my toes about what they're about to say.

So, right now, I'm sick to death of the insulted generation of people who are insulted by everything we say. They get insulted by all of the things on the news, the way people dress, the music that's from the 80's (and the decades before that) saying it's sexist and horrible. The insulted generation are insulted by how things were in the past and expect everyone from that time to apologise for being a part of it, being brought up in it and not knowing any different because it was the only way they knew how life was.

Well, you know something? I'm not sorry for who I am. And if you don't like it, that's too bad! I'm sick and tired of being the nice person who thinks twice before she speaks, dresses like Grandma because people will think she's showing too much leg, and goes out too much on her own - but really, what's it to you what I do with my life? What you should be doing is concentrating on your own life and stop looking at mine. 

I'm not apologising for anything I've done, anything I'm currently doing or anything I'm going to do in the future. And like I said, if you don't like it - tough!

I'm Disgusted!

Yes, you read right! 

I'm disgusted!

As a lot of you know - or may not know - I'm currently fund-raising for The World's Greatest Shave; and this year, I'm shaving all my hair off to donate it. And there's a lot of hair!

So, I jumped into the fund-raising joys in December and the Leukaemia Foundation sent out my pack just before New Year's Eve... so I got myself into gear just as the New Year started out. I approached my local doctors at the Springwood General Practice to find they had changed hands and managers.

I thought, okay, no biggie. This should be okay.

Boy, was I wrong!!

A month later, I dropped in there to pick up a prescription to find my donation box and two posters were nowhere in sight! I asked the girls at the counter, 'Where's the donation box for the World's Greatest Shave, and the posters?' They acted as though I'd never been there... I craned my neck and found my donation box had been shoved onto a bookcase, out of sight of the public!


Oh. My. God! Where they kidding?

'What is it doing there?' I pointed at the box. They all looked at it and shrugged, 'And where are my posters I gave you.' they shrugged again.
One said, 'The posters could be in the office, I'll go and look.' and she did and said that they weren't there, 'You'll have to talk to Ruby.'
'I did talk to Ruby.' I said. 
Within 24 hours, the donation box was out on the counter, but I never saw my posters out.

Just yesterday, I went to check on the donation box. It's been 3 weeks since that incident, and I wanted to see how it was going. I found .30c in the donation box and my posters were *still* not out on the walls. So I asked, 'Where are my posters?' 
'Of what?' the two at the counter asked with doe-eyed looks on their faces.
'For the World's Greatest Shave. The donation box has only .30c in it.' I said, 'This is horrible.' 
These two shrugged at me, 'Oh, they could be in the office.' they didn't make any effort to see if the posters were in there, then one said, 'Or in the bin.' 
I left the donation box there and walked out, then stopped at the doors of the shopping centre, turned around and went back to the doctor's surgery, 'You know, this isn't going to work. I asked this surgery in good faith to do this for me - and this surgery has done this for me since 2011 - and you just... I'll move the box somewhere else. Forget the posters. I've more.' I walked out, I'm so disgusted in how I was treated, I almost started crying.

I walked straight to the Springwood Pharmacy at Arndale - across the way from the surgery, and talked to the owner there. Not twenty minutes before, he had offered to take the donation box off my hands and put it on his counter. 
He saw me and asked, 'So how much did it have?'
'Only .30c.' 
He was disgusted.
'And they ditched my posters.' 
He took the donation box straight away, 'After this, you can come here every year.'
'I'll bring posters on Monday.'

I can't believe a doctor's surgery has done this to me after all this time! This is the same surgery I go to to see a doctor - not just to drop off donation boxes. This is my own private doctors I see for everything. I can't believe that just because it's changed management, it's treating a charity like this. 

Yes I'm disgusted... and they should be embarrassed for doing this to me and to the Leukaemia Foundation.

One Month

It's just a month from when I get my head shaved and I donate my hair to get it all made into a wig!

Yes, it's not long now, and I'm looking forward to this event at Wishart, here in Brisbane. I'm hoping to raise plenty of money for the Leukaemia Foundation through the work of some great people alongside me.

The Logan Artists Association will be having a raffle where the money from it will be going straight to the Leukaemia Foundation and I've got a donation box at the local doctor's near me so people can donate money at the front desk too. I'm also hoping to get in and get people to help me with fundraising on Facebook too, through my official site where I do most of my fundraising... and I do most of that through the next 4 weeks.

So, during this time, I'm knitting up a storm and making hats for myself. And I'm also working on getting myself fit and healthy enough to get through Winter without a cold or a flu this time around. 

I can't wait to get in and do this so I can regrow my hair and do it all again in around 5 years' time. How cool will that be? It's gonna be great!

The Year of the Pig

Well, by the way I'm throwing things out and donating things to charity stores, you'd think the opposite with me.

I'm making sure my house is cleaner this year. I'm not buying as much at charity stores either. In this past week, I spent only $9.00 when I normally would have spent over $20.00... so that's a good thing.

Anyway, this cleaning out thing has rubbed off on my Mum. She's seen how much I've tossed out through my photo albums on Facebook and wants to join in the big tossout. So, I'm helping her out soon.
Today, I've seen the first signs that the huge dry spell we've been suffering through is breaking. Townsville is flooding and now, it's Brisbane's turn to get some well-deserved rain... and man, I'm looking forward to it!

This year is a big one for me. I'm saving money, painting more and am looking at working towards getting another car. Well, okay not a car per say, but a van so I can travel around the paint what I see. It's a project I want to do as an ongoing thing in my life. It will be something which will make me happy - I know it. 
But it's not a 6-month idea, it's a long-term idea. This will take a couple of years to work on, and it's because I have to make sure I save my dosh and get myself and my life pulled together properly. 

The Big Clean-out this year is the biggest one I've ever done; and it's something which is going to make me really look at what I've got and push me to either keep or toss exactly what I want or not want in my life.
You see, over the past 6 months, I have had a turn of such clarity in my life. It's hard to explain it. I very suddenly know what I want in my life and - dammit - I'm going for it. I'm painting faster than I've ever painted. I'm cleaning out my house faster, and with better decision-making than I ever did. And I know exactly what I want to do in my life too.

In this month, I'm hoping to get in and finish some paintings, start another few. Then, save up big for my next vehicle, work on cleaning out the house (and seeing most of it has been done over the past few years, I don't have far to go). I'm also hoping to keep my opshopping to a minimum - only purchasing what's needed around the house and that's it. 

This year will not be without its challenges, you know, as I'll have the World's Greatest Shave in March where I'll be shaving all my hair off, then first year anniversary of the death of my dear friend, Hannah, I'll be seeing if I can sell some paintings to get myself a few other exhibitions. There's going to be other things going on in my life which I have yet to plan for. But isn't that the fun of life? Being spontaneous? Sure it is. I can't plan everything in my year... well, not yet, anyway. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.