Friends are Forever.......



When my eldest daughter started school I was nervous. Nervous about her making new friends, nervous about making friends myself. I don't socialise effortlessly and easily like some people do. I always feel self conscious, like I'm going to say or do something wrong, like everyone is staring at me and thinking 'What an idiot'.

After a while, I started to see the same girls (ladies really, but to make us all feel young and hip I'm going to say girls) everyday. We would chat at school drop off and pick up and then we started meeting each other for coffee, shopping and birthday parties. My insecurities slipped away, I was part of a group....and a wonderful group at that. The BBQ's started, the social gatherings. We could count on each other to take care of each others kids and to pick up  the pieces when our lives went wrong. New babies arrived and they would fit in amongst the group, the children, the husbands and us girls.

Women make wonderful friends. We love and laugh big. We give it our all, we care. Our hearts are permanently on our sleeves.

Then, we found out that one of us has to leave. To start a new life somewhere else...a long way away. We know that she'll be back, her and her wonderful family, but for a while there will be a space, just waiting for her, for when she comes back.

Last weekend we said goodbye. Not in a crying, hugging kind of way. We escaped....just us girls....on a weekend getaway. We said goodbye with laughter, love and fun. We said goodbye while cracking jokes, eating tonnes of food and relaxing.

So, to our dear and darling friend. We wish you all the best, we wish you happiness and health in your new home. And we'll all be here, waiting for your return.

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Couch Potato....Couch Potato

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I'm going to be really honest with myself....and you here. I have a problem, something I really need to do something about........I'm a couch potato, a homebody, a lazy-bum. I don't often feel inclined to move....at all. I'm not sporty or athletic or really even remotely interested in being sporty or athletic.

I have friends who play sport, frequent the gym and attend those dance/exercise classes. When they discuss all these strenuous and exhausting activities I simply nod and smile. Not really relating to what any of them are talking about.

Admittedly I did spend 10 years running around dangerously with a hockey stick in hand. I loved it...it was great fun...it was just too bad that I kinda sucked at it. It was also too bad that I tended to loose my temper at ladies twice my age and twice my size.

Once the children arrived I stopped. Unfortunately caring for four children while my Husband works all.the.time does not give me much of a chance to play hazardous sports. Also I kind of value my teeth.

So how to exercise with children in tow? You don't.

I did try the gym...briefly....but working out (read dying) in that environment is akin to torture for me. Lots of sweating, grunting people packed into a room with pushy fitness instructors....ugh. Going for a walk with all the kidlets in tow is virtually impossible.....and I also would like to keep my sanity intact thank you.

But I know that if I value my health I need to make the time to do some form of activity.

So, I did it. I started. I kicked myself up the backside and I began to move.

Every morning I wake when the sparrow farts and while the children and Hubby are sleeping I pull on my daggy t-shirt and shorts, force my ancient sneakers on my feet and take off....just me and the dog. At that time of the morning (early) the air is clear and still crisp, the sun is peeking over the horizon and everything is silent....apart from the huffing and puffing from me and the click clack of the dog's paws on concrete.

It's lovely...peaceful...wonderful....and I wonder, why didn't I start this sooner?

Now all I need to do is stop eating so much cake....hmmmmm...easier said than done!

Grateful for.....Holidays! Holidays! Holidays!

Hooray for holidays!



Yesterday, when the kids trudged wearily from the school yard; hanging their heads and dragging their school bags sullenly behind them, I was upbeat and optimistic....'Cheer up!' I commanded 'it's school holidays!'

They smiled. I smiled. We all smiled.

I love school holidays.

Some parents may despair about what to do with their darlings for the next two weeks but not me. I have it all mapped out, all planned. We are going to do absolutely nothing......and I can't wait.

No waking up at the crack of dawn to race around the house like a demented banshee. No screaming and yelling to 'Get up, eat your breakfast, make your beds, teeth, hair, hurry up!,'
No scrounging around in the washing basket for wrinkly uniforms and odd socks. No throwing together soggy sandwiches and boring old carrot sticks for school lunches. No leaving at 8am to do the 40 minute round trip. No turning the car back around and heading all the way back up the hill because someone forgot their homework, drink bottle, school hat, underwear (Mr 5 has the wonderful habit of not wearing any underwear...ever)

We are going to play, create and cook. We are going to lap up the sunshine, have outdoor picnics and drink milky cups of tea. Watch movies, walk to the park, visit our friends. Strictly speaking it's not doing 'nothing', it's having no fixed schedule, no place that we 'have' to be. It's running free.

My plan of doing nothing for two weeks is my best one yet. The kids are exhausted. I am exhausted. We all need a rest. Because the next term will be one of unequalled madness. The lead up to Christmas, the myriad of birthdays, work, weddings, parties, appointments.......everything.

So, this week I am grateful for the start of school holidays....check back in two weeks time when I'm sure I'll be grateful for the end of school holidays.

This week 'Grateful' is being hosted by Mira Narnie, pop over and check it out!

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