Remedy Update

Not quite the Torschlusspanik success yet but my bag of supplies made it's journey across the globe. As discussed here, I organised to supply some things from the Landmine Museum and Relief Centre's wishlist.

My friend headed to Siem Reap, carrying the bag, with the correct paperwork (and she packed it herself - never carry anything through customs for anyone!!)

On the long, long bus ride, she and the bag made their way through the rain and mud, until finally the goods found their new home!






I can't begin to describe the spring it put on my step. This is just a thank you to my kind friends that donated and my generous friend who lugged the bag to Cambodia.

Now to find a sponsor for the truck they need....

Linking for #FortheloveofBLOG & #MondayMusings










A short 3 minute video on the great work they do.

Art & About

While I missed Sculpture by the Sea this year, I managed to squeeze in a quick visit to The Last Resort by Anri Sala.  Lovely to hear the music while taking in the views, or watching the mesmerizing and joyous beating drumsticks.

Sometimes the smallest thing can elevate the spirits. It was a slight detour for us, on the way to somewhere else, but well worth the effort.

While we all march to a different drumbeat, it doesn't hurt to dance along to others sometimes.

Linking with WordlessWednesday #MySundayPhoto #MySundayBest #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #OutdoorWednesday

And can you see me? A shot for #WeekendReflections

The real Countdown to Christmas - Advent #ChristmasLinkUp

Advent Calendars have really taken off, and gone are the simple lift a flap picture ones of my youth. At the very least you get chocolate and I'll admit I'm eyeing off the gin one for myself, but I just can't quite justify the cost....

As for the kids, my youngest is getting the Smiggle one ($39.95) 

The eldest is getting one of the Body Shop ones - a hefty $100, but the actual presents from Santa will be only 2 concert tickets and she already know what they are, so I figure it's sort of her Santa pressie.

The middle boy is where I am stuck - too old for the Lego and Pokemon calendars of years gone by, I'm thinking I'll just do chocolates and little knick knacks and then every 7 days he gets a book voucher (he likes these Manga books but they're $12 a throw and he reads them in 1 night) so he can select a few titles he wants (and evens out between the spend on the youngest and oldest). If you can think of anything else I could put in, let me know. 

For my friends, as we've already started our 'must catch up before xmas' dinners, I've got a few of the English Tea Shop tea calendars for $17.

For my good friends in need, I've got the L'Occitane advent calendar for $89. It's a lot but the stuff is good quality and a little self care will make all the difference. L'Occitane also has a luxury one, which I'd love - I'm trying to rationalise  it will be perfect for our travels in January, all those travel sized facial moisturisers etc, but somehow I don't see it happening.

Do you go mad for Advent calendars?

Linking with #MummyMondays

An InLinkz Link-up

Last year of High School

The theme of #Lifethisweek is last year of High School. I don't really remember much about that. Nothing specific of interest at least. Which is a message in itself to pass on to our kids. The HSC is not really the big deal we make it out to be. You will do it, and do well or do badly and move on with your life.

Do not fear that if you drop the bundle in the last year of high school that you have ruined your life. You may need to detour a bit, or meander along a different path for a while, but it will all work out for you, one way or another, as long as you keep moving. Forwards, backwards or sideways - it doesn't really matter. There are many doors that lead to the same place.

For the parents of the HSC-ers, remember this: A person who is supported can achieve great heights.
Your kids are not you. They don't think like you, nor feel like you. They don't necessarily have the same dreams as you, or even the same interests. At some point we have to step back and if they need to 'fail' to move forward, so be it. If they need a few years to invest in discovering what drives them, what interests them, what is their passion, then perhaps we need to let them. Dropping out of school isn't the end, it's the beginning. Failing a few subjects doesn't mean they've thrown it all away, it just means they need to reassess their options. Always look at the options. As long as you have options, there is a choice.

I went to a talk where the speaker said that in High school he had no idea what he wanted to do, and his marks reflected that. His advice was to work out what you love doing, and the money will follow. I know it's not always as simple as that but perhaps, with 40% of  kids sitting the HSC becoming dangerously over stressed, it's the mantra we need to start instilling in them.

Talk to a 40 year old and not many of them are working where they started out, or even in the field where they began. The HSC is not the be all and end all. 30 years from now you will be asked to write about your final year at school and struggle to bring a single, relevant memory to the fore.

Your life is more important than some numbers, so always remember that. The barrister, Sharna Clemmett gave a powerful and inspirational address to her former high school's assembly. This article has a link to her FB page with the full details of the address. Please take the time to read as it's excellent, and show your kids if they're are heading into the final year of high school.

What did you learn in your final year of High School?

A week in B&W

I've been doing the facebook challenge of a week in B&W - a bit of fun where you post a  B&W photo a day with no words and no people in it.

These are what I took, including some from the Salon de Refuses.

As you can see, I've had a pretty mundane week, but in B&W and close up, it's sort of more interesting.

Maybe that's the lesson of living in the moment? Focus on what is around you, enjoy the detail.

Did you take part in the B&W challenge? Consider yourself tagged!

 Linking with #WeekendIn B&W

Don't take your heroes for granted.

Back to the bookclub discussion of Beck Weather's Left for Dead (2 previous posts here). One of the most amazing things about Beck's rescue, was overcoming the impossibility of it even happening. He writes "Nobody told Peach about this. And since she didn't know it couldn't have been done, she did it." Very much like the poem of Edgar Albert Guest , sometimes the impossible is achieved, because you don't listen to logic. Your determination overrides the roadblocks.

Colonel Madan Khatri Chhetri, the brave man who took on all the risk in the rescue effort said, as to why he did it, that while he believed it was the right thing to do, that wasn't the reason he risked everything. "I didn't want to second guess myself everyday for the rest of my life."
I love the honesty of this reason. The hero in us all is there, and maybe not on the high moral ground as a superbeing, but just a person who feels they have to try. Not diminishing the extraordinary courage he exhibited in his actions, but those that do great things are not on a different plane from us until their choices elevate them. In They are all my family, Riordon says something along the lines of 'What kind of person decides to try this insane rescue without a proper plan? A person with no other choice.' Sometimes the greatest heroes just do what they feel they have to.

Beck acknowledges Madan as the most extraordinary person in the book. He took all the risk when really he didn't need to at all. He wasn't even on the mountain, but he put himself in great danger to save another. When Beck's wife writes a thank you letter to Madan, they learn that after all the lives he has saved, this was the first time he was ever thanked. "Maybe we all just take our heroes for granted."

So two things to learn from this book:
(1) Don't get caught up in the negative assumptions of others, just set your mind to it and make it happen.
(2) Don't assume those doing heroic things are any different to you (don't use that as an excuse to not do the same), and most of all, thank them. Acknowledge the good deeds around you.


As I didn't want to go into great detail of the rescue to save it for those who are yet to read the book, I'll share the details of this later rescue Madan performed, made more courageous when you know he's had experience with it not always working as planned.

Linking with #FortheloveofBLOG #DreamteamBloggers #BookNook  #The FabulousParty and #TwinklyTuesday

Meditation - yay or nay?

I'm in the nay camp, I'm afraid. I can barely do yoga, let alone sit still with a blank mind.
However, there are three things that have the same affect for me as meditation.

1. Going to movies. I go by myself, to preferably a half full session so no one sits near me. In the dark, in the cool, and focused out of my thoughts, I come out feeling refreshed.

2. Archery. I know, weird right? You have to concentrate on your physical, on your breathing and on a small spot in the distance. You have to tune out the distractions around you. It's so relaxing and zen. I love it.

3. Taking photographs as I walk around my day to day world. It makes me zoom in on what's around me, I focus on the present (not what's in my head), and I see beauty and interest everywhere.

So 3 tips for meditation for the non-meditator.

What do you do if you can't meditate?

Linking with #Blogtober21