New Years Eve

If there was one place I could be this New Year's Eve, I wish it was my Grandpa's farm in far east Gippsland. (Sadly, this cannot be because the farm was sold just before Grandpa passed away.)

The only music would be the sound of the cicadas, instead of the loud cacophony coming from the neighbours.

We would watch the stars, instead of the fireworks (many of which are illegally set off).

The only drinking would be cups of tea/coffee as we chatted about the memories from the year just ending and our hopes and dreams for the year to come, instead of the raucous, crude language coming from people around us who have consumed too much alcohol.

And, I wouldn't have to explain to people that I actually find New Years Eve a difficult day to navigate because today would have been my Dad's 63rd birthday and I miss him.

So Dad, Happy Birthday!

And to everyone else, Happy New Year!

Get Talking - First Time Around

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Hmm ... interesting! Just after I turned 30 I started to keep a list of things that I did for the first time. It was fun to keep and had some wacky things on it. I still have the list somewhere! These days, every so often, I will do something and realise that I had never done it before.

I really can't think of anything recently. So I've hunted the list of things I did for the first time since I was 30, so that you can have a laugh!

• Bought a brand new dress (not one from an Op Shop)
• Jumped on a Bouncy Castle
• Gone to Kinder (I was working there, but I never went as a child)
• Bought 3 pairs of shoes at once
• Eaten waffles
• Had a Humpty Dumpty Egg for Easter (you know the ones with Smarties inside)
• Attended an International Sporting Event (Champions Trophy for Hockey)
• Eaten duck
• Watched the same TV series in it's entirety twice in one year (The West Wing)
• Had my face painted (by a 5 year old!!) 

How about you? Anything on your list?

Get Talking - Fashion and Fears

Hello!
It's been a good 2 weeks; it's been a bad week ...
2 weeks off work for school holidays, except for the two holiday club shifts that I worked. I got some things done. And then week 2 started with an epic tooth ache. One trip to the dentist (which is somewhere I avoid unless absolutely necessary because of bad experiences as a child) turned into a week of antibiotics followed by a 2nd trip to the dentist and a tooth extracted. Then I've also ended up with a nasty cold - so I may just be going back to work a little later than expected.
I suppose it's given me a little more time to rest, but it's also a little frustrating that things have been cancelled or postponed or just not done.

Anyway, I'm doing 2 questions again this week because I didn't get my act together over the last couple of weeks. I know, I keep giving excuses. Maybe I need to schedule things a bit so you don't miss out.

First up:

What's your worst fashion mistake?

I'm not sure, although maybe it was wearing white pants as a kid and playing in the grass - those grass stains never did come out, but we sure did have fun playing.

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Second:

What are you afraid of?

• Spiders
• Dying alone

Kind of random, but there you have it.

Get Talking - Smiles and Giving Things A Go

Ok, so you're probably all wondering what is going on. "Where are Beth's posts?" I'm sure you've been asking. My life has been crazy. 2 jobs plus church and family commitments mean I'm one really tired person, plus I've had to get a new computer because my last one was about to die, so I've had to find the time to transfer files over, particularly things that I use to post on my blog, plus the usual life essentials. The files are finally transferred, and I have 2 weeks off from the usual work hours - I still have to work a few days, but today is not one of them.

Since I missed last week, I'll give you 2 questions today.

What made you smile today?

It was something that you wouldn't readily think of, but today my Mum went out with a friend, and that made me smile. Mum hasn't done that much over the past few years due to things that have been going on in our family, so for her to get out without any of her daughters was an amazing thing.

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What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

If I could try anything, knowing that I wouldn't fail, I'd go ahead and learn to fly aeroplanes (of course I would also have to have the money to pay for the lessons). Ever since my first flight (even though it wasn't the greatest experience or for a nice reason) I've wanted to be able to fly myself. I love seeing what the world is like from the air.

What about you? What made you smile? What would you try?

Get Talking - Family and Thankfulness

Oops! I missed last week. But I'll do double this week.
So, first question:

What's a family tradition you love?

One of my favourite family traditions is that every year we make a new Christmas tree decoration for each family member. I love it because our tree tells a story of the years gone by. We haven't done it every year, but we started in 1992, and since 2003 we have had a new decoration every year. Most are hand made, but some are memory things, like where the item was bought or the year my sister used clear glass balls and put the name of each family member inside. When it comes time for me to start a family of my own, I will have my decorations to use and keep the memories going. Yes, our tree looks very eclectic, but I like it that way. I'm not someone who likes a perfectly colour coordinated and matching tree.

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Question 2:

What three  things are you grateful for?

Three things I am grateful for today are:

• That God sent His Son, Jesus, to take my punishment so that I will not be separated from Him for eternity, but will instead spend eternity with Him in heaven.
• My family - we may not always agree, but we are there for each other.
• A day off. Seems trivial, but this term has been hectic with 2 jobs (which is why I missed last week), so I'm glad for a little time off to rest, recharge and get some things done that I haven't had time for.

Get Talking - Childhood Memories

This week the card is:

Describe a favourite childhood memory.

Hmm ... where do I start? There are so many good memories.

But I think, perhaps my favourite is something that happened when I was in Grade 5. My Dad had long service leave from his job, so we packed the car and headed off up the east coast of Australia. With stops along the way, we made our way up as far as Cairns and then back again - we had almost the whole of Term 4 away from school. My teacher didn't send any homework - I just had to do a diary of our travels. I learned so much on that trip - things I would never have learned or experienced in a classroom. Thanks Dad!

Books on the Bookshelf

So many people aren't interested in reading any more and that includes children.
My childhood was filled with books, and as many of you know I am still passionate about reading and frequently my posts on this blog are, in fact, about books.

Recently I was talking with a friend of mine who is a teacher and very much interested in literacy in children today. We had a very interesting discussion about the role books played in our growing up, including the types of books we each read and how we accessed them.

So I thought I would share some of my thoughts about how books have shaped my life.

I've always had access to books. We had a family shelf with books that had been given to us and bought by my parents - new and second had from Op Shops. They weren't always used for reading - sometimes a pile of them formed a stool to sit on or we would make them into the wall of a cubby house (large hardbacks were particularly good).

I remember my first school reader - it was about a fire station. I was so upset because the book had no words and I had already learned how to read before starting school (thanks Mum).

We were also given at least 1 book for each birthday and Christmas, so our piles of books grew and Dad kept making more bookshelves to house our growing collections. Novels, biographies and all sorts of non-fiction made up the books we had to choose from.

Family holidays meant travel, so books were also provided for us to read in the car. My grandparents also had books for us to read when we visited. I can still hear my grandmother's voice when I read Mr Bell's Fix-It Shop.

Trips to the town library were a common event - my brother, sister and I would ride our bikes down the street and get our fill of as many books as we could carry - my favourites were Baby Sitters Club series and a biography about Nancy Wake.

Travel was more extensive during my teen years as we had moved to Western Australia and summers frequently meant a road trip across the Nullabour Plain - 5 days in the car each way. Space was limited, so there were some favourite series that ended up coming along and being read each way. As soon as possible when we made it to Victoria we would head for the Op Shops to stock up on more books.

Books that were studied at school were a bit hit and miss - some were really interesting, others I wish I had never read because they were about awful topics that should not be forced on anyone.

However, in spite of that, I still read ... a lot!!

These were my bookshelves a few years ago. Now books are double stacked on many shelves and I have boxes of books that just don't fit. Mostly I buy my own books these days, although I do still get books sometimes for Christmas and birthdays.

One thing about my shelves and the books on them is that I frequently loan books to my family and friends. Growing up I often borrowed books from other people - family and friends. However these days when e-books are so popular, this practice of sharing books is becoming a memory, not common practice.

I think this is one of the sad things about technology. We can't share e-books with each other. All you can do is recommend them to your friends. Sure, they would have been more convenient when we travelled - we could have had more choices. But some of the books we bought half way through our trip were given to my cousins so that they could read them.

So what's your book story?
How did you have books available to you?

Kids Again

I think life was much simpler when I was a child. I'm glad I grew up when I did.

Thing I Loved as a Child ...

and Still Love Now!!

Colouring pictures

Reading

Collecting these cute little guys!

Doing craft projects - particularly cross stitch!

Inspiration from Cottage by the Sea - Robin Jones Gunn

So I've been reading Robin Jones Gunn's book, 'Cottage by the Sea' and right from the start there are things in it that have impacted me.
I've been going through a tough patch (for a variety of reasons) and there are things in this book that are like food for my soul. So here are some of them:

'I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.' Isaiah 45:3

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness and cheer you.
                                                                      - Irish Proverb


An Irish Prayer

May God give you
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.


May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart.
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.


Wishing you always
Walls for the wind,
A roof for the rain,
And tea beside the fire;
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire.


This is good book, but for me a hard one to read. It brought back a lot of memories from when my Dad was sick and we were helping Mum care for him.

My Favourite Things - TEA

TEA

... "a drink with jam and bread!"

My love of tea began as a little girl when visiting Nanna and Papa (Dad's parents). Papa would always offer me a cup and pour it from the tea pot, raising the pot up and down to make bubbles!

The milk ALWAYS went in first and then the tea. Forget tea bags! It was always loose leaf black tea and you used a tea strainer while pouring to prevent the tea leaves from going in your cup.

There was a little chorus that Papa would sing sometimes and I found it. Listen to this (not sure about the choice of picture though):

My current love for different types of tea began more recently after I read Dead as a Scone by Ron and Janet Benrey.
This book, although fiction, got me thinking and interested in the different tastes of the teas mentioned. I even used a Darjeeling Tea packet as a bookmark!

I also found it facinating when the character, Flick (Felicity) was describing what happens when boiling water is poured on the tea leaves. Call it the 'tea dance'!

Anyway, if you want a bit more information about this try having a look at their website. You can find it here.

The idea to include this topic in My Favourite Things, came after seeing an episode of Treasure Hunt on the ABC. It was all about tea caddies and I was facinated by them, plus Tunbride Ware was mentioned. Unfortunately I can't find the episode anywhere to rewatch it, and no other information about it. It was filmed in 2002, so that's hardly surprising.

Anyway, my current interest in different types of tea was fuelled by discovering T2! T2 is a shop that sells teas of all kinds - black, green, white, red, fruit infusions (or as the French say, tisanes). And then they sell everything you need to be able to drink your tea - teapots, infusers, teacups and saucers.

My current favourites are Melbourne Breakfast, Perth Breakfast, Morning Tea (no longer available), and Turkish Apple.

I love being able to go into a store and try the teas they have available for tasting and finding out different ways you could have them. For example, Turkish Apple is yummy warm, but it is also perfect cold. It's one of my favourite drinks on a hot summer day - loaded with slices of fresh apple and a few fresh mint leaves! I really want to try the cinnamon one. I think that may be like spiced apple cider!!

A cup of tea really is a great thing. It can make you feel better when sad, and is best shared with a friend.

I'm even thinking of having High Tea for my next birthday!

Friday Fill-Ins #179

And...here we go!

1. A place in the country is my favorite place to travel to.
2. When I think about my childhood, I often remember the adventures we used to have in the reserve across the road from our house. Poor Mum, we always came home with grass stains on our pants - and they smelled because it was onion grass.
3. Jenny makes for a good friend, actually she's my best friend.
4. The wind in the trees, the rain on my skin, feeling God's presence as I stand on top of the mountain. (This really did happen for me several years ago as I stood on top of Flinders Peak in the You Yangs.)
5. Life is so exciting! ... sometimes.
6. My best friend knows that I don't really want her to leave, but that I also understand why she must.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a quiet night at home, tomorrow my plans include a trip to Queen Victoria Market with Jenny (yay! we finally get to buy Ugg boots) and Sunday, I want to enjoy a GNG breaky, fellowship at church and a quiet afternoon!

Bridge of Memories

Are there places that were significant to you during childhood that are still special for you now?

The Westgate Bridge is one of those for me.

As a child I went over that bridge hundreds of times.

I remember when it was still tolled!

It was kind of a way to an enchanted place back then - we went over it everytime we visited my grandparents (Dad's parents)!

I still love it now. These days I live on the other side of it, but I still travel over it to visit family.

Memories of letters gone by

Did you have pen pals when you were young?

I had several. Most of mine came via an Australian magazine for children called Junior Clubhouse.

I mention this because today as I was going through some of the things I have had packed away in boxes, I discovered some of the letters that I had received. In particular the ones from 2 of my cousins and a girl from Tasmania.

I didn't read through them all as I didn't have the time, but I did open a couple for a look. Some were folded in fancy ways, others were written on different note papers. But the main thing about them is that they were all hand written.

I think I really miss that connection. I realised recently that I have a whole drawer full of different sets of writting paper, but I never use them. These days my connection with people is usually via email and other electronic media. The sentiments are the same, but they feel rather impersonal.

With the amount of writting paper in my posession I think I should start writting letters again.

One benefit of electroinc mail is that you don't have to have a physical storage location for it (other than space in the memory of your computer or online email service). Another is that the ink will not fade so that you cannot read it. But what if your computer crashes and you lose it? Then it is gone. I suppose the same could be said for a fire or flood damaging the stored letters.

What do you think?

The other thing I wondered as I looked through these letters, is what has become of my former pen pals?

I know what my cousins are doing, but what of the others. I must of had at least 5 or more people who I regularly corresponded with.

Where are they now? What direction has their life taken? Are they still alive? Have they married and had a family, or are they still single like me? Do they still live in the same town?

Since I received some of those letters I have moved 5 times.

If anyone reads this and has had pen pals in the past please let me know your thoughts. You could be one of my former correspondants, and I would love to know where life has taken you thus far.

Final Thoughts for the Week

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Yes, cats can and do read. I have a photo of my cat Smudge reading the Garfield comic in a newspaper.


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

And this is absolutely correct.

Peas

more animals

You know what's really funny about this? My brother had a cat who did actually like peas!!

It was great at meal time if a pea rolled off your plate and on to the floor - Chuffy (the cat) would go for it straight away and you wouldn't have to bend over and try to find it to pick it up! And you wouldn't have to worry about it being squished before you could find it.

Public holiday activities

Tuesday was a public holiday for the Melbourne Cup. I have absolutely no interest in the cup, except that because I live in the Melbourne metro area I get a day off work.

I guess you could say that my public holiday activities started the evening before. My sister, K and I were at a bit of a loss to know what to do in the evening, and she suggested we do a jigsaw puzzle. I had this one that I had started on months ago and really wanted to finish, so we got it out and worked on it for a couple of hours. Mum and my other sister, A, also put a few pieces in, but as you know jigsaws are addictive and you just want to keep going until they are finished. So I was up late, because I just couldn't stop. However, I did stop without finishing it that night.

When I got up the next morning A had done some more of it, and K & I ended up finishing it at about 11am.

By the way, the picture is of a painting by Andres Orpinas.

K & I had also decided that we wanted to go somewhere in the afternoon; for a walk and for afternoon tea. Bacchus Marsh was our place of choice. Mum & I had gone there Cup Day last year, but K couldn't come that time. I didn't mind going again because I really enjoyed it last time.

At the last minute, Mum decided that she wanted to come as well. So the 3 of us set off just before 2pm.

The photo to the left is of the first part of the Avenue of Honour as you come into Bacchus Marsh. The trees are Dutch Elms, and each one represents a soldier who did not return from the 2 World Wars. Some of the trees are being replaced because they have died, but the lady at the information centre told us that each replacement is a clone of the original. Further along the Avenue of Honour the tree arch looks better, but to get the photo you have to stand in the middle of the road and that is too dangerous because the road is quite busy (Mum & I tried it last year).

The route into town also takes us past the house where my Dad lived when he first came to Australia from England as a child. It looks a little rundown, but it's still there. The church where my Grandfather was a minister is no longer there - instead there is a shopping plaza.

After stopping at the Information Centre for advice on the best walks, we ended up going to the Peppertree Walk along the Werribee River. The walk takes you along one side of the river, across a ford, along the other side of the river and finally across the road bridge back to your starting point - 2.9 km in all. Along the way we saw moor hens, rabbits and other birds. We were told that if you take the walk in the early morning you can a platypus or two as well (actually the lady we talked to has seen 7 in one morning)!

This is one of the photos I took of the river on the way back to our starting point.

After our walk we had a yummy afternoon tea at The Jolly Miller, a bakery/cafe, and on the way home we stopped at one of the many fruit & vegetable shops on the Avenue of Honour, selling both local and interstate produce.

Babysitting

With some misgivings, we left a young babysitter in charge
of our three energetic youngsters.

When we returned a few hours later, she was sitting alone
watching TV.

I went to check on the children and found them in our narrow
hallway. By bracing their arms and legs against the walls,
two of them had climbed up to the ceiling.

"The babysitter taught us how," they said gleefully.

The sitter joined me, her face a deep red. "Since they had
me climbing the walls, I figured they might as well be too,"
she stammered.

We kept the same girl for the next two years.

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.


My brother used to climb the walls like this when he was younger!

All Boxed Up!

Do you remember as a child when your parent's would get new appliances and you got to play in the box?
We didn't really care about the new fridge, freezer, oven, or whatever it was. We were just interested in the box it came in.
Cubby houses, rockets, forts, tunnels - whatever we imagined, that's what the box became! They were fun days.

My sister's cat is a bit like Fred in this comic. Whenever a parcel comes in the mail, she has to sniff it and then hop in the box once it is opened. Her favorite boxes are cereal boxes. She bats table tennis balls into them, charges them and tries to fit her body in (she used to fit as a kitten), and skids them around the floor.

Whatever would we do without boxes?

Swing Me!

Haven't we all done this to our parents when we were children?!

And how many of us have felt like this either with our own child or someone else's child?!

Such memories!!