Awards, Illness and Life As I Know It!!!

I'm sicccckkkkkk! Sympathy please!!! I have no voice! This is not a good thing for person whose job relies on speaking for about 90% of the day! Waaahhhh! I'm sure that my family are secretly thanking God for the blessing of not hearing me speak (whine, nag!!) however on the surface they are readily offering help, giving me advice and actually listening when I try to communicate! Noice!

So in my state of self pity, I am inwardly rejoicing on the fact that I've been bestowed with a blog award! Thanks to my US cyber mate, Tawd for passing on this honour (can I reissue him this award, too? Right back at ya, Todd!). It really was a bright spot in an otherwise miserable, croaky, sniffly, coughing week!

There are a few rules to this award, however, so I am here to 'pass it forward/spread the lurve'!!!

Here are the guidelines:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to these blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

So, here are my 'super seven' (drum roll, please):

1. It's All About T! One of my little Tassie friends and a big fan of the cheese wheel and passion pop phenomenon! Anyone who can single-handedly manage husband, teen son, bloggin' and full-on study all in one hit deserves this award! Waving madly at ya, T!

2. Just Me As I Am! You've heard of a 'yummy mummy'....now let me introduce you to the woman who is supersedes this..... a 'yummy granny'! Also an Apple Isle girl and also has juggling abilities involving housework, full time work-work and a heaps of gorgeous girls (ok, not to mention one very clever hubby....clever for marryin' our Trudi, that is!)! I just don't know how on earth she gets time to blog (or sleep, or breathe for that matter!).

3. This Is Family This Is Life This Is Love! Kate (aka the woman who introduced me to brands such as IKKS and Nolita Pocket) is one of my fave Melbourne girls! She is also a renowned LippyFester and is great fun to catch up with when she does her regular jaunts to Queensland!

4. Rhubarb Whine! Love the food, love the stories, love the lot! I always enjoy catching up with another Brissie-based person and this is one place that I visit a lot!

5. Jeanie in Paradise! Jeanie was one of the first 'outsiders' to leave a comment on my blog! I remember when she did - I almost fell over with shock realising that someone actually did read my words! So visiting hers and catching up with her life has been a regular event for me. And let's face it, if we can both manage to mother 8-going-on-nine year old girls and still survive then it's no wonder that we've united in cyberspace solidarity!

6. Lulu's Bay! Lynda is a creative cook and blogger whose life has taken her from Lippyfesting days across Sydney to the other side of the world in Cairo. At the moment she's on sabbatical in some obscure location in Europe (yeah, at the moment I secretly hate her cause I want to be where she is and not stuck in this cold winter!) and although she cannot be contacted to confirm that she was a blow-up kangaroo toting Cadel Evans cheerer spotted on 'Le Tour' television, I can confirm that a visit to her blog is well worth the time!

7. And finally, to Toni at Wifely Steps, who not only bemuses me with all of the weird and quirky gadget finds, entertains me with her weekly games and enlightens me in all of her other interesting posts but is also Twilight obsessed like...ummm...me (See, I keep saying that it's not just for teenage girls!)!!!

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago to today, I lost my nanna! I can't believe how quickly time has past - it seems like only yesterday! The pain, although numbed, is still there and I think that I can honestly say that not a day has gone by since when I haven't thought about her in some form or another. I guess that is normal when you are mourning the loss of someone that you truly love.

I've thought a lot about nanna today- how she lived a full and long life and how she taught me so much, both outright and incidentally. She taught me that it is ok to be a strong woman. That no matter how difficult life is, you should look on the bright side and try to turn it into a joke....laughter really can be great medicine! She taught me to appreciate the finer aspects of nature - the native birds and plants, the afternoon strolls along a beach. She taught me simple things like how to enjoy a good game of scrabble or bingo, a weak cup of tea, routinely watching the game shows on television, a traditional poem spoken simply from memory, eating fresh fruit and vegetables, gardening, bus trips. But most importantly, she taught me about love....how to love unconditionally! That family is so important and that, no matter what, she loved us and was proud of us simply because we were her people!

I miss you nanna, today and always!

TV Fluff Versus Reality Fun!!!

I don't usually watch much television. I am usually too busy tending to housework, catching up on work work, sitting at the computer or reading to give much time to some of the artificially induced rubbish that comes on tv. At the moment though, one show has - for the second year running - caught my interest and I admit it, I'm shamelessly hooked!

The Farmer Wants A Wife doesn't just seem like your normal reality fluff. Perhaps it's because a long time ago, I spent four years being a single woman in a small country town and dating a farmer (no, I'm so not going there but let's just say that it ended very badly and made me transfer back to the city as quickly as my stilettos would carry me!) and so have some sympathies with the 'contestants'.

A farmer's life is not an easy one and it is documented fact that here in Australia (can't talk for other parts of the world), single women are not always readily available for dating. I think that this gives greater credibility to the fact that some of the guys on this show are genuinely in it for the right reasons and not, as is often the case in shows like this, looking for their five minutes of fame! Also, one of last year's memorable couples have since married, so it's not that big of a leap to assume that similar could happen in the future! Ok, I admit it, I am just a soppy romantic who loves a good love story! Lol!

And I guess that the culture clash of city-meets-country makes for some hilarious moments. Like the girls who try too hard to impress (bosoms falling out all over the place, skimpy little outfits, over-the-top cowgirl look clothes) to those who just have no idea (high heeled boots in the farm shed!).

So, for all of you who are just as addicted as I am, here are my predictions/thoughts on the six farmers so far:

Rob - It has been documented in Australian media that he has since hooked up with his first pick, Jo and that they are madly, crazily in love! Yay them! I really hope that they have a wonderful future together!

Ben - My favourite! But damn, why does he need a tv show to find a girl? He could find one anywhere, I think! And I love that he is so sensitive and worried over who he should choose, for fear of hurting the other one! *sigh* Sweet!

Howie - He is such a mummy's boy - I pmsl when he packed mum off for a holiday before the girls got there! I can't believe that he had those girls pregnancy testing cows (which involves a long, long glove and inserting your hand into the cow in places where the sun don't shine....ewwwww!). What was he doing? Trying for shock value to frighten them away? Personally, I think that he should have picked the stenographer (or whatever she was) from the top ten, who lived nearby and who he kinda knew. Silly boy!

Michael - I felt kinda sorry for him when one of his girls of choice was hassling him about not making her breakfast. He's young and naive and probably didn't even consider such a thing! Still, at least she was up-front about her expectations, I guess! Quite frankly, I don't know if he'll end up with any of them. Give him a few more years of maturity and I'm sure he'll find someone special!

Nick - Am I the only person who didn't realise that he was Nick Brown as in Brown Brothers Brown???? Far out! A future with him would ensure brilliant wine on the table everyday (including my personal fave of Dolcetto and Syrah!) Yum! I can't believe, however that he chose a nineteen year old (and didn't I laugh my head off when she tried cooking a dessert!)! His other choice of Steph seemed much better although I doubt he'll end up with either of them.

James - I just have one word of advice for the two lovely ladies that he chose for his final two.....Run! Run girls! As fast as you can! Do not pass go! Do not collect $200 or a farmer who doesn't want a wife, but rather a free worker for his farm! He treats his dogs better than you and I'm sorry but a dog sitting and eating at the table like a third person would make me high tail it out of there fast!

So now, I am waiting for Monday nights with baited breath! And I can't wait to see where these farmers end up!

It's Raining It's Pouring!

....and I'm freezing!

Winter has suddenly hit here with a vengeance! For a city that, a year ago, was worried that we wouldn't have enough water left to sustain us, we are now finding that there is water everywhere! Well, everywhere that is, except our dams which are still totalling around the 40% mark!

This picture, on a clear day, should show the sand dunes of Moreton Island off in the distance, behind the tree line. The only thing you can see there today is grey!

So, in line with our cold, wet winter, I have dug out more blankets and am spending my non-working days reading (in bed!), watching dvds (in bed!), cooking (in the kitchen......lol! Betcha thought I was going to say bed then, too!!!) and trying to get warm in whatever way I can! My slow cooker and oven are suddenly getting a true work out, too as there is nothing nicer than warm soups and casseroles in the cold!

Ok, having said that, I pity all of you reading this who experience truly cold, snowy weather!!! I am obviously a 'tropics' girl through and through and the thought of living anywhere that regularly had minus zero degrees just makes me want to grab another blanket! So I am thinking of my friends and rellies in Tasmania today who, a few days ago, experienced a top of seven degrees while I was roaming around in a thin tshirt and track pants!!! Brrrrr to you and I hope that you are feeling warm warm warm today, too!!!!

Just for Something Different!

Here is my baby when she was about two! I am bias but I think that she is dang cute!

What's Happening With Me!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of anywhere and am not hiding under the desk having a holiday meltdown (although that was tempting at times!)! In fact, I am kinda embarrassed and ashamed that my last post here was over a week ago! Naughty, I know but I assure you that it is just a symptom of life in general, at the moment! Hey, I don't call this blog 'Busy Mum' for nothing!

After two glorious weeks of sleeping in, this week it was back to the grindstone of early wake ups, rushing kids off to schools and trying to earn enough money to put petrol in the car. Yep, it is back to work and now I am a sleep-deprived, stressed mother as well as somewhat functioning worker during the day!

For the last two weeks, I was almost living the life of leisure. Actually, take out a couple of kids and a few stressful moments and it would have probably been total relaxation! The first week of the holidays was spent running kids around. I think it is fair to say that my children have a better social life than I do. You know those bumper stickers that have 'mum's taxi' written on them? I totally understand them now! What they don't tell you is that if you combine the cost of fuel at the moment with a couple friend-oriented kids, then you have a pretty costly experience or ten!

The second week of the holidays was mixed. The fun part was that it was my dad's very important birthday (ie one of those zero numbers!). The not-fun part was that my mum had a fall outside of church a couple of days before and is still on crutches and house-bound. She damaged her knee and cheekbone, got a special trip in an ambulance and apparently didn't fracture anything....although you wouldn't think so to look at her. She is on the mend now, but it is a slow process!

And to top it all off, Dear Husband has replaced the computer once again. This is another long story but goes something like: new computer died-old computer was taken out of retirement-new computer went back to shop for emergency service-new computer was put back and still didn't work so went back again-new computer had major operation and came home fully functioning-old computer was retired suddenly and without notifying most prolific user (ie me!)-so new computer has no new photos on it, hence the lack of picture to this post!!!!!!!!

So that is the last few weeks in a nutshell! Stay tuned for better posts in the future (I hope!). And btw, it is nice to know that I was missed! :)

How Could You Refuse This Face?

I must be softening in my old age!

This is the true baby of the house! The one who thinks that sitting on my lap and shadowing me all day is the only way to live (ok, I admit it...that is my daggy old flanny dressing gown under her and no, I don't care what it looks like, only that it's darn warm and snuggly!)

A visit to the vet last week told me that Ruby is in perfect health! And spoilt.......I am woman enough to admit it!

Which brings me to another doggy tale.......this afternoon, after a hell of a weekend, I took Miss 8 to this! She was supposed to be going there with her nanna but do to an unforeseen accident, that wasn't possible, so I trotted over there with her for a couple of hours. The whole place was a dog lover's paradise! Miss 8 zoomed from stall to stall and we got a lovely inspection of the kennels. Every dog we passed just had to be patted and we came away with 4 new mini toy pups for the plush toy dog collection! Tonight, she's put them to good use.....she has up-turned an old play table and had 'created' a guide dog kennel of her own using newspaper, wool and a hell of a lot of sticky tape!

So yes, a dog lover (or two!) does live in this house.....as well as one pampered pooch!