A few days ago a lovely comment was left on my Year in Review post by Emily of Have A Laugh On Me (you need to check her blog out, seriously) in which she stated "...the love you have for Wayne is evident by how you write. It made me realise
that maybe I need to smarten up a bit and pay more attention to my loved one, I
tend to take him for granted and I know life is way to short for that!" This comment made me think about our (the lovely Wayne & I) relationship and why it is the way it is.
One of the first things that came to mind is that being a gay couple with no children we haven't had to share each other's time with anyone else or be completely responsible for anyone other than us. This has meant that we have been able to pay each other more attention and do stuff together (that said, we'd have traded it in a minute to be able to have children). I must admit though, that having all that time and attention for each other did lead to taking each other for granted from time to time because we knew that we were each there.
As we're getting older, our relationship has evolved and I think it's stronger than it's ever been. In recent years our work schedules have changed and we rarely have days off together unless one of us takes leave. After many years of being together whenever we wanted, we've ended up having very little time so we make that time count. I also understand the stresses placed on parents and why at times husbands, wives and partners take a back seat to the rest of the family due to those responsibilities (your children will thank you when they're adults). I'm amazed and in awe on a daily basis by parents and how you all just do it - you are all awesome. I guess we'll get our turn soon enough as we both have parents who aren't getting any younger and their welfare is now becoming more of a priority in our lives.
Anyhoo back to Emily's comment. We all take people in our lives for granted from time to time, but the simple act of acknowledging it means that you indeed aren't necessarily doing it as bad as you think. And remember peeps, a simple hug speaks volumes!
This time last year I reflected on 2011 by way of a meme - an idea that I
copied from one of my favourite bloggers, Elizabeth of Scarlet Words (you can
read about Elizabeth’s 2012 here).I’m completing
the meme again this year as it’s such a great way to reflect on the year that
was.Again, thanks to Elizabeth for
sharing this brilliant idea and encouraging others to join in.
Okay, let’s get started…
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
I’ve always loved photography but haven’t really done a lot of it other than
happy snaps.During 2012 I started
participating in photographic challenges (mainly those by Chantelle of Fat Mum Slim) and started taking lots of photos with my iPhone and then editing them
using the myriad Apps that are available.I’ve loved it – the composition, the subjects and the editing.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next
year?
Mostly yes.My intentions were to be
fitter, healthier and lighter, and to blog more.They all get a tick.For 2013, it will be more of the same as I
want to improve on all these things again as well as take lots of photos!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes.Two very dear friends welcomed daughter
number two in April.I wrote about
gorgeous little Marlo here.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully no.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia!Does that really count?We did have a wonderful week in a beach-front
house on the New South Wales north coast – it was just what we both needed at
the time.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
More ‘us time’.The lovely Wayne and
I still battle with conflicting work schedules so I’d like more time together
to just hang out.Simple things like
picnics, lazy afternoons, cooking, walks, movies – you get the idea.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
There’s the usuals (birthdays, anniversary, holiday up the coast) however
2012 had a few ‘biggies’.There was my
promotion and my recognition at work (see Q8 below), but the one that I guess
really rocked me to my core was my dad’s diagnosis in July with a brain tumour.Although it has affected me and made me
rethink a lot of things, we were extremely fortunate that there was a
wonderfully positive outcome in the end and my dear dad is now absolutely
fine.I blogged here about how thankful
I was for the way this whole episode played out.
My dad, and the scar down the back of his head
which means he'll be around for a long time yet!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My biggest achievements (yes there’s 2) this year were my promotion in
August, and being awarded a prestigious award in December for my contribution
to the organisation where I work.You
can read about my award here.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not ‘switching off’ when I left work.I had a tendency to still be ‘thinking work’ even at home – I was known
to leave myself voicemail messages at work at 3am on occasion!I am slowly learning to switch off - I guess
I’m a slow learner!LOL.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Aside from a slight back strain during our recent house move, I consider
myself very lucky to have enjoyed good health during 2012.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably my new laptop (the old one died) – well let’s face it, how on earth
could I blog, etc without it?!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The lovely Wayne (aka The Boy Wonder!).As mentioned in Q7,
my dad needed urgent brain surgery during the year.The lovely Wayne was just so wonderfully
supportive at a time when all of us were really feeling scared, worried and
upset.Thanks babe. xx
The lovely Wayne (aka The Boy Wonder)
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Three come to mind.Those awful radio
announcers who played that joke on that poor English nurse; Alan Jones for his
vile comments about PM Julia Gillard’s father’s death; and the gunman who shot
those innocent children in the USA leading up to Christmas.Some people really are just oxygen thieves!
14. Where did most of your money go?
The usual stuff – household expenses, food, etc.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our holiday in September.Our week of
staying in a beach-front house was wonderfully relaxing and we had been looking
forward to it for months.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Dare I mention it?Dare I let it rear
its ugly head again?I’m talking of Gangnam
Style of course.Yes I liked it
initially, but then it became a little tiresome.It is however the first tune I thought of
when reading this question, so I guess it’s the one for 2012!I won’t embed it here as I think we all know
how it goes!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b)
thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
a) Happier (still happy!)
b) Slightly thinner
c) About the same
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing, photography, reading, and spending time with the lovely Wayne.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Placing unrealistic expectations on myself and my time.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas was a quiet affair for us this year.It all started on Christmas Eve with us again
adhering to our tradition of watching Love Actually (I so love that
movie).Christmas Day started with a
lovely breakfast for two at home – think poached eggs, smoked salmon,
mushrooms, tomatoes and good coffee.For
lunch we popped up to the nursing home and spent time with the lovely Wayne’s
mum.Later in the afternoon, we made our
way out to my mum and dad’s place.Here
we had a lovely casual evening with great food and lots of laughs. As an aside, I had a bit of fun with the Elf Yourself iPhone App (thanks Elizabeth), so here's the lovely Wayne, our friend Tracy, and me...
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I stayed in love!
22. What was your favourite TV program?
In keeping with last year’s British TV theme, we have again loved
predominantly British shows.We NEVER
miss Alan Carr Chatty Man – that man and his show are an absolute scream, you
really need to check it (them) out.There were also the usual suspects of QI, Graham Norton, Grand Designs
and Top Gear.A notable mention must
also go to the Australian series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries which we
thoroughly enjoyed.
23. What was the best book you read?
I haven’t read any books of note this year as most of my reading consisted
of reading lots of amazing blogs.I did
however enjoy a couple of coffee table books I picked up during the year - Wine
Dogs Australia and Why Dogs are better than Cats are both entertaining and
contain gorgeous photos.
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
There’s been several again this year including Lana Del Ray and Paloma Faith.The one that stands out though is Of Monsters
And Men.This Icelandic group made an
appearance on The Graham Norton Show and I just loved them.I’ve already mentioned Lana here, so
here’s a little something by Paloma and OMAM...
25. What did you want and get?
I wanted my dad to get good news after his brain surgery – it was the best
news as he got the all clear and recovered completely.I also wanted to get the job I’d acted in for
18 months, and I did!I was finally
promoted permanently to the position in August.
26. What did you want and not get?
Again, marriage equality.Oh alright,
and the winning lotto numbers!
27. What was your favourite film of the year?
Sadly this year we made it to the movies just once – one of the pitfalls of
our lack of time together as we’d rather have a quiet night in!Anyhoo the movie – we loved The Iron Lady
with Meryl Streep.We did however watch
a number of great DVD’s during the year.
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 46 years young on my birthday!You can read all about my birthday here.Suffice to say it involved a gourmet breakfast, lots of seafood,
champagne, wine, ice cream, blood-letting, and a washing machine!
29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Sharing it with the lovely Wayne, friends and family.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Corporate and casual – not at the same time though!I also had a bit of a ‘thing’ going on with
glasses (spectacles) this year – I bought four new pairs during the year.
31. What kept you sane?
The lovely Wayne of course, and keeping a good sense of humour at all times.
Oh yes, and wine!
This guy kept me sane (or is that insane?) during 2012
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No one person comes to mind actually.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
It’s the same as last year.Australia’s appalling policies and indecision regarding asylum seekers
and marriage equality.It amazes me that
we are so behind the times with these two issues when we are leaders in so many
other areas.
34. Who did you miss?
I miss my regular catch-ups with a dear friend Tracy in England but we’ve
undertaken to have regular (& possibly long) skype sessions this year.I’ve also missed two very dear friends at
work who have both been on long term leave during the year.Luckily for me they are both back during
January.
35. Who was the best new person you met?
Again this year there’s been a number of new people who I’ve met.Some have been through work, some through
other friends, and then there’s the online friends I’ve made this year through
blogs and social media.The stand out
though would be a former colleague, and now great friend, Kerry.We just kinda clicked.
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Cherish those you care about – tell them you love them often and give them
hugs often too!
37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Motivation a powerful strength
Hesitation was my first instinct
I got the notion my weakness was
Total devotion it’s okay because
I will hold back tears
So I can move in the right direction
I have faced my fears
Now I can move in the right direction
Move in the right direction – Beth Ditto & Gossip
So there you have it dear reader, my 2012 year in review.I’d love to read your 2012 in review so
please feel free to leave your answers (or a link to them) in the comments if you
feel so inclined.
Today is Day Fourteen of the November Photo A
Day Challenge and it's also my birthday! The prompt for today is Man made (You can read
here about my self
imposed twist to this month's challenge).
Let me get to the photo first then I'll fill you in on my birthday. Today's diptych composition consists of a large wall clock which I bought from a fabbo little boutique in Leura in the Blue Mountains, and a chocolate bouquet. Both are man made and both are loved by yours truly!
Okay enough about the photos, lets talk about my birthday (coz it's all about me today, right?!). Lets start at the beginning. A few weeks ago I mentioned a routine visit to my doctor and how he wanted me to have all manner of tests undertaken. Well due to my procrastination with the barrage of blood tests, I needed to have them done TODAY, my birthday! So this morning we (yes I made the lovely Wayne accompany me) toddled off to the pathologist so they could take what seemed like 90% of the blood out of my body - happy bloody birthday! At least the pathology nurse wished me happy birthday. Speaking of said nurse, it turns out that we worked together 25 years ago so had a great little catch-up chat whilst I was drained of almost all my blood (I am sooo not a drama queen).
Following this, the lovely Wayne took me out for breakfast to a fave cafe with gorgeous lake views not far from home. Whilst there, the cafe proprietor advised us that it was the cafe's first birthday today and as such, all patrons could have a free slice of celebratory birthday cake, so we did! What made this extra special was that unbeknownst to me, the lovely Wayne had advised the proprietor that it was also my birthday. My slice of cake arrived with a candle on it ;-)
We didn't do lunch as we were both still too full from our breakfast grazing. Dinner however necessitated food, and of course wine. As a starter we enjoyed large juicy pacific ocean oysters naturale with a glass or two of champagne. This was followed by a large amount of king prawns enjoyed with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The evening feast concluded with a serve of cookies and cream ice cream - yummmm.
Presents. Yes I know that's what you really want to know about. Let me just say CD's, clothes, champagne, chocolates and a washing machine! Yes, a washing machine. No, the lovely Wayne isn't an unromantic man, it was all about timing. A new washing machine was required and just happened to be purchased on my birthday!
As I sit here this evening enjoying (another) glass of wine, I'm very thankful that I've again had a wonderful birthday and have received lots of wonderful birthday wishes from lots of lovely people. Thank you.
It's Day Ten of the November Photo A Day Challenge which means I'm a third of the way through! The prompt for today
is Can't (won't) live without. Read here about my self
imposed twist to this month's challenge.
Two things came to mind straight away when I read today's photo prompt - the lovely Wayne and my iPhone. I don't like being too far away from either of them! So they're my diptych components for today - the lovely Wayne and my iPhone (I've chosen to feature my fave photo apps).
What's two things that you can't or won't live without?
It's Day Five of the November Photo A Day Challenge - the prompt for
which is 5 o'clock. Read here about my self
imposed twist to this month's challenge.
Today's diptych photo composition consists of two represntations of 5 o'clock - 12 hours apart. The first part is a screen shot of my iPhone at 5.00am when my alarm went off - yes I did hit snooze (a few times!). The second part was snapped this afternoon - 5 o'clock shadow. Now just to clarify, this 5 o'clock shadow belongs to the lovely Wayne who modelled for me under intensely tying conditions (according to him). I mean really, I think it was me working under trying conditions - damn models and their demands! Oh yes, I've again indulged my passion for black and white photography.
Apologies up front if this post seems a bit ‘deep’ or
upsetting but I wanted to share why I’m incredibly thankful tonight as I sit
here writing this.Note that I am in a
good ‘place’ and am not seeking sympathy or the like.There will even be a celebratory drink (or 3)
tonight!I guess I just want to ‘download’
and as I said, share why I’m thankful.
I’m thankful that I live in this fabulously modern country
where urgent and up-to-the-minute medical treatments are available and
accessible.I’m thankful that in less
than a fortnight, my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour, had surgery to
remove it, was then advised it was benign, and was given a clean bill of health.I’m thankful that he is a very fit and
healthy man who is already home and is recovering quickly.I’m thankful that we can still give each
other a good ribbing and that throughout the ups and downs of the last
fortnight we kept a sense of humour.I’m
thankful for having a wonderful mum, sister, brother-in-law and how we form an
amazing team when needed.I’m thankful
for my friends who have sat and listened when I needed to talk.And lastly, I’m thankful for the lovely Wayne
– the rock I have leaned on (heavily at times) this past fortnight as I (&
he) supported my wonderful family.
Like I said at the start of this post, I’m actually quite
happy and up beat as we’ve come through this last fortnight with a great
outcome.And I do have to confess that
as is the way in our family, we always try to maintain a sense of humour no
matter what.I mean there’s already
jokes and jibes happening amongst us all about this whole experience – I guess
that’s our coping mechanism!
What are you thankful for? And what coping mechanisms do you use in times of crisis?
In my last post where I showed my month in photos as part of the Photo A Day Challenge, I did say that I was looking forward to participating in the July challenge. Well I did have the best of intentions to do so however a combination of things has put paid to that. Firstly, I've been quite the social butterfly as it was our anniversary last week and the lovely Wayne's birthday this week. Secondly, I've been flat out doing long days at work. And thirdly, I've been a slacker! The result is that I have managed just one photo as part of the challenge so have decided that I'll take the month off from photo challenges! These same three reasons (oh ok, excuses!) are why I haven't posted either.
Anniversary
Like I said above, last week the lovely Wayne and I celebrated our anniversary. It was our 23rd anniversary. We celebrated with dinner out at a fave little Italian Restaurant followed by hot chocolates and decadent desserts at a specialty chocolate cafe. It was a great evening and I may or may not have had one glass too many of red wine! I do love it when the lovely Wayne volunteers to be the 'skipper' (ie, designated driver). I also received a lovely card and flowers too! I guess I'll keep him!
The card I received from the lovely Wayne
This years anniversary was actually a bit of a milestone anniversary for me. You see, the lovely Wayne and I have been together since I was 22 years old and as this was our 23rd anniversary, it meant that I've now spent more of my life with him than without him - pretty amazing really. As I'm technically a toy-boy, it's still a few years before the lovely Wayne experiences this kind of milestone!
How long have you and your beloved been together? And what special thing do you do to mark the occasion?
The photo prompt for day 29 of the challenge was soft. My thoughts automatically went to a beautiful Alpaca wool jumper that my dad brought me back from a trip to South America a few years ago. It is so light and soft but very warm and is not prickly like sheeps wool. The sad thing is it's a bit of a snug fit this winter - hmmmm. Anyhoo, here's the pic...
June Photo A Day - Day 30: A Friend
The final prompt for this month's challenge is a friend. This is an easy one - he's been my best friend for almost 23 years. Anyhoo, here's a re-edit of a previous pic of my boy wonder, the lovely Wayne.
June Photo A Day - Day 20: Fave photo you've ever taken
Now this was a very easy one for today's prompt of fave photo you've ever taken. My absolute most fave photo I've taken is of the lovely Wayne and our beautiful little girl Sophie. I love this photo for a number of reasons:
It's the two 'people' that mean the absolute world to me;
Neither of them were aware I was taking the photo which makes it so beautifully candid;
And lastly, it's a wonderful memory of our little girl who is no longer with us.
Now this is not a sad post, it's actually quite the opposite as this photo always brings a smile to my face and makes me happy.
Anyhoo, here's my fave-est photo I've ever taken...
Now I know dear reader that those of you that are of a certain age will know that this blog post's title is the name of a classic coming of age movie from the '80s. Others of you may not! Anyhoo, the photo.
June Photo A Day - Day 10: Best bit of your weekend
Today's photo prompt was best bit of your weekend. The best bit of my weekend so far has been this evening. I'm tucked up on the lounge with the lovely Wayne in front of the TV on a cold winters night. It doesn't get any better than this. Well maybe, and it has. To top it off we are watching a fave classic from my youth - Pretty In Pink. I haven't seen this movie in years and I'm loving every bit of it - the music, the fashion and the hair. LOL.
Anyhoo, enough of my reminiscing, here's my photo - the lovely Wayne and I snuggled up on the lounge under a blanket.
As an aside dear reader, what's your fave '80s movie? Tell me in comments below. Or not!
It's been a couple of days since I last posted and shared photos so lets have a catch-up. Thursday saw the end of the working week and the start of a delightful 4 day weekend. It also saw the arrival of a new baby daughter for two of my dearest friends, Pru* and her husband G. Needless to say, I'm a very excited Guncle* and will be heading out later this morning to shop for cute baby stuff before popping up to the hospital later today for a visit.
The other great thing to happen was the lovely Wayne and I enjoyed a day off together yesterday. They are not as common as they once were so are highly cherished and spent doing something. As yesterday was such a gorgeous day it was deemed appropriate that the top go down on the Jeep and we head out for a picnic by the lake. More about this later.
I'm still participating in the April Photo A Day Challenge and have been diligently clicking away. Here's the latest photos...
April Photo a Day - Day 5: Tiny
Thursday's photo prompt was tiny. Something tiny I have here at home is a miniature VW Beetle. I've had it for years and is one of those little things that evokes great memories. My very first car was a VW and this tiny one was a gift from the lovely Wayne many years ago after I had been reminiscing about my first car and what it meant. At 18 years of age, my family and I lived in a an outer suburb and this car meant freedom and independence - it was the start of a whole new era in my life. It was great. And that little car (mine was actually fluro orange - aka BOB*) created many great memories. Anyhoo, enough of the old-man-reminiscing, here's the photo...
April Photo a Day - Day 6: Lunch
As I mentioned earlier, the lovely Wayne and I headed out for a drive to a picnic spot on the shores of Lake Macquarie yesterday. It was a gorgeous day - sunny, but not hot, and a gentle breeze to keep the flies away. Our picnic lunch consisted of a yummy tossed salad and barramundi fish fillets cooked on the barbeque. We sat under the shade of a big old tree soaking up the ambience and chatting. Oh yes, and in keeping with his persona of being a big kid, the lovely Wayne also brought along his remote controlled helicopter which we played with (oh alright, he flew it well and I crash landed it!). Anyhoo, the photo. Yesterday's prompt was lunch, so here's barbequed barramundi fillet with salad...
Acknowledging an idiot
Like I said we had a delighful day yesterday, however I must vent about a motorist we encountered on our drive. To the woman in the white sedan who ran the give way sign causing us to screech to a halt to avoid you, the hand gestures and swearing at us because I dared to honk the horn were amazing - what a great role model you are to those 2 children you had in your car! End of rant!
What's he on about?
Pru - My bff's name isn't actually Pru, it's a pet name. Our pet names for each other are Pru and Trude (from Kath & Kim) as we can be a bit Pru & Trude-ish when on a shopping expedition! (And yes, we do the accent too).
Guncle - Oh come on people, where have you been? Gay + uncle = Guncle!
April Photo a Day - Day 4: Someone who makes you happy
The April Photo A Day Challenge prompt for today is Someone who makes you happy. What can I say here that will do this justice? Keep it simple and just post the photo methinks! The lovely Wayne has made me happy for over 22 years :-) Cue photo....
The photos (clockwise from top left): His first helicopter pilot lesson; Robin the boy wonder; My fave pic (at dinner with friends); His 50th; Pensive at a BBQ; Embarking on the Sydney Tower Skywalk.
Happy Friday! Thankfully the weekend has begun. I'm sitting here chilling out, glass of wine in hand and appreciating the fact that the weekend is here. It will be a good weekend too as my sister and my brother-in-law are in town for the weekend which means dinner with them at mum and dad's - always a good night when the six of us get together.
You may have twigged that I said I'm sitting here chilling out - no mention of the lovely Wayne. Well that's because tonight I'm an Angry Birds widow! A new version of Angry Birds was released last night (Angry Birds Space) and as the lovely Wayne is in essence a 50 year old child who is addicted to all Angry Birds games, it has been downloaded and is being fiercely played. I imagine other readers with children experience a similar situation however I can't very well send my big kid to his room for playing it too much, can I?! This will last a couple of days until he has mastered it then all will be back to normal. It's actually quite cute to watch as he really gets in the zone. And I will be sure to thank my sister and brother-in-law tomorrow night at dinner as they were the ones who introduced the lovely Wayne to the original Angry Birds.
Image courtesy AngryBirdsAddiction.com
Anyhoo, I must away as it appears that the man-child's iPhone battery is now low and needs charging, so we will now converse while it charges....LOL. Do you live with a man-child? If so, please share a man-child story in comments.
One of the blogs that I follow is My Home Truths by a friend, Kirsty (do yourself a favour and go have a read). Each Sunday, Kirsty posts I Must Confess which is a link-up that others are encouraged to participate in. For a while now I've been what could be best described as a long time lurker but haven't actually participated. Today that changes as I Must Confess....
Do you ever have one of those days - you know, the kind where you're in a bad mood and there's no apparent reason why. Now I've self-analysed yesterday and I cannot for the life of me work out what 'did it'. Anyhoo, I'm getting ahead of myself. Yesterday morning I awoke as per normal (got out of bed on the correct side, etc) and within an hour had 'tude for no apparent reason. Sadly (and despite my best efforts to the contrary), that 'tude was with me for most of the day.
First up I headed out to the shops. On the way there, I was convinced that every idiot driver on the road was out in force as they were ALL annoying me. Things didn't improve at the supermarket either - unruly feral children, crazy people that couldn't successfully take charge of their shopping trolley, you get the idea. The whole while I'm trying to snap myself out of it, the self talk about how I had a choice whether these things annoyed me and that I could choose to not let them annoy me - pffft, didn't work! I survived the outing unscathed although I'm sure there must have been steam coming out of my ears at this point...LOL.
Back home my afternoon was incident-free and I even had time for a little nanna-nap on the lounge before beginning preparations for a roast lamb baked dinner. Yay I thought, commonsense has prevailed and I got over myself. Imagine the horror when the lovely Wayne waltzed through the door after being at work all day and asked (innocently) how my day was. At first all was fine - I regaled the tales of annoying motorists, children and shoppers and how I was refreshed after my brief nap. And then it happened - the lovely Wayne made a harmless throw-away comment that I must be getting old and grumpy!! I must confess that I momentarily snapped - you know, "how dare you, you're older than me", etc , etc. This is why I also refer to the lovely Wayne as 'Poor Wayne'. Now I calmed down quite quickly (I think the glass of wine helped!) but I felt terrible that I had unloaded on him. Suffice to say, I apologised and all was forgiven - I think the delicious roast dinner may have also helped!
So there you have it, my confession. Do you have something to confess? Then why not link up with Kirsty at My Home Truths and share your confession. Trust me, it can be quite cathartic!
Today's theme in the February Photo A Day Challenge is Something You Hate To Do. Well this was an easy one - the first thing that always comes to mind is ironing - yuck! I'd rather clean 10 toilets than do ironing. Sorry for that, but I honestly would! Lucky for me, the lovely Wayne does any ironing in this household, and yes, I clean the toilets....LOL. Anyhoo, here's my photo for today's theme, my most dreaded of all household appliances - the iron!
Wow, what a crazy busy week this has been. It's been a week of loooong work days, exhausted (lazy) evenings and early nights. And as a result, a week of no blogging as I haven't even switched my laptop on until this evening. Anyhoo, I have still been taking my photos as part of the February Photo A Day Challenge, I just haven't posted them. I'll start rectifying that right now. Here's my photo's from earlier this week...
#FebPhotoADay - Day 13: Blue
The theme for Monday was Blue. After work on Monday the lovely Wayne and I went for a walk along the waterfront and took in the view. There was a storm brewing across the lake which looked amazing. The contrast between the dark storm clouds and the bright blue sky was dramatic to say the least - there was a definite line between the good weather and the bad weather which I had to capture. Hence my photo for Blue, the gorgeous blue sky in contrast to the dark pending storm.
#FebPhotoADay - Day 14: Heart
Tuesday's theme was Heart. How fitting for Valentines Day. Despite our busy day the lovely Wayne and I had a lovely evening on Valentines Day - we again headed to the water (this time to the park) to watch the sunset across the lake whilst sipping champagne. It was lovely to take time out and enjoy a relaxing evening together. This of course was preceded earlier in the day by the exchanging of Valentines Day Cards and wishes. Here's my card with requisite heart...
#FebPhotoADay - Day 15: Phone
The photo theme on Wednesday was Phone. Now I have to say that I was stumped how to do something interesting for this theme. I considered a photo of both our phones and the home phone, I considered a photo of a phonebox, and I considered a photo of a dear friends little daughter using her toy phone. Sadly I arrived home from work after sunset so that discounted options 2 and 3. I ended up taking a screen shot of the lock screen on my iPhone as a re-interpretation of option 1.
Ok, that will do for now as it's late and I need my beauty sleep. I'll endeavour to catch up the rest of the week's photos over the course of the weekend. Nighty night!
Today's theme for the February Photo A Day Challenge is Makes You Happy. This is easy. What makes me happy is any time spent with the lovely Wayne, so it makes sense (to me anyway) that my photo for today should be a photo of the two of us together. Now I have to confess that I have cheated a little with this photo as I've posted a photo of us taken just before Christmas - I've just re-edited it! Yes I know I should have taken another photo of us today, but I really like this photo, so here it is (re-edited of course)...
I awoke this morning quite pleased that after what has seemed like an eternity of wet weather, the sun was shining. Fantastic I thought, as today's theme for the February Photo A Day Challenge was Sun. Well I hadn't planned my actual photo for today so was discussing this with my dear friend Michelle over lunch. Between us we came up with the idea of a nice shot of sun reflecting off sunglasses. Well I ended up stuck inside all day and so missed the opportunity of popping outside and taking my sun photo.
On the way home from work I was on the phone to the lovely Wayne and said how I had missed my sun shot and would have do a catch-up shot tomorrow - he agreed. However when I arrived home I was greeted with a gorgeous child-like water colour painting with a sun. The lovely Wayne had channelled his inner child artiste to create me a little masterpiece so I could still take my sun shot today. I'm so lucky :-)
Six day weekend, oh how I've enjoyed you! The lovely Wayne and I both go back to work tomorrow after enjoying a 6 day weekend - talk about luxurious! It all began on Australia Day last thursday. Wow, that seems so long ago. We then took Friday off (as did half the country) as well as Monday and today. It has been a great break actually and dare I say probably better than the 3 week holiday I took at Christmas! Mostly because this time we were both off.
We didn't go away or do anything ground-breaking, it was more the fact that we did stuff together - something that is a rarity due to our often conflicting work schedules. It was a weekend of simple pleasures. Today we went for a walk, some of which was in the rain - and no, we didn't have an umbrella with us. We just got a little wet and it was great. We've also cooked up some truly delicious gastronomic delights, but I won't go into them as I seem to babble on about food in almost every blog post. We ate out, we planted a herb garden, we watched fireworks, we sat on the lounge in our undies watching dvds (there's a mental image for you!) while it rained and rained, we went to the markets (twice), we listened to music, and we slept in 6 times! It really has been a great break and not one bit of it was planned.
Here's a few photos from during our extra long weekend...
I also saw this today and had to post it here - it made me laugh...
One of my favourite bloggers, Elizabeth of Scarlet Words, fills out a meme on her blog at the end of each year as a way of reflecting on the past year. I loved the idea of it so am going to have a go at it myself (despite being 11 days late in doing so!). Thanks to Elizabeth for sharing this brilliant idea and encouraging others to join in. Make sure you have a read of Elizabeth’s 2011: year in review.
Ok, here goes...
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Professionally, I really stepped outside my comfort zone at work and took on an additional role that really challenged me – and I loved it despite the stress and sleepless nights. Personally, I started this blog and started using Instagram – both of which were done to make me take more notice of the world around me and those that are in that world. To see the real beauty that is so easily overlooked. And I have to say it has been great and I’m loving the discoveries I’m making. Oh yes, I also caught public transport (train) all the way from Newcastle to Sydney and back! I don't do public transport as a rule.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t remember making any new year’s resolutions for 2011 however this year is going to be more of what I’ve done in Q1 and I’d like to be fitter, healthier and lighter by the end of the year. I also intend to blog more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but 2 very dear friends have made a baby in 2011 and little Bubble (as he/she is affectionately known) will arrive in the first half of 2012.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully no.
5. What countries did you visit?
The only travel I did this year was with work – the furthest I ventured with work was Canberra - hmmm. The lovely Wayne and I didn’t even undertake our annual Melbourne sojourn this year – we were just too busy. We only ventured to Sydney on a few occasions this year too. Those that know us will know that that is sooo not us.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Time! And I guess fitness (see Q2).
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I guess our respective birthdays. The lovely Wayne’s because it was a milestone birthday (his 50th) and I was able to give him something he had always wanted – a helicopter pilot’s lesson (which he couldn’t stop talking about). My birthday is covered later on at Q29.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Challenging myself on a number of levels (both professionally and personally), but most of all, learning a lot about myself (some of it was hard to face/learn too!).
9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting some friendships slip a little – not in a bad way, just a consequence of being very time poor during the year and not blocking out enough time to make sure I spent time with friends.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
During the first half of the year I had a nasty bout of sinus that led to middle ear infections in both ears. These 2 ear infections turned nasty and resulted in me having 2 burst ear drums. Annoying to say the least.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The lovely Wayne’s pilot’s lesson (see Q7). Those that know the lovely Wayne know that he doesn’t say a lot and keeps things to himself but he couldn’t stop talking about piloting a helicopter – it was like listening to a kid that had just been granted a wish of going to Disneyland.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The lovely Wayne. He was definitely my rock this year and I couldn’t have achieved what I have this year without his love, support, patience and occasional reality check!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
OMG where do you start? I guess the political leaders (and I use that term loosely) in Australia and their appalling decisions and policies regarding asylum seekers and marriage equality. For the first time in my life I felt embarrassed to be part of a society that was so backward in its thinking. There was also that woman who threw a puppy out of a high-rise because it messed on the carpet – I absolutely abhor cruelty to animals.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, bills, food, iTunes and Nespresso Pods.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being given the opportunity to really extend myself at work and actually make a difference.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
This song appeals on a number of levels however at the end of the day it’s the self esteem, acceptance and equality that it makes one think about. Not to mention the attention that it received!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
a) Happier.
b) I may or may not be a wee bit umm, fuller figured shall we say!
c) Definitely not poorer – I’d like to say more enriched.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I’d told those that I care about that I care about them a lot more often than I did.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastinate.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
I won’t bore you with this again, however we spent lunch with the lovely Wayne’s mum and dinner with my mum and dad. You can read all about it here.
21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I stayed in love – does that count? As I’ve said before, he’s my rock and I know he puts up with A LOT!
The lovely Wayne in the driver's seat ready for his lesson.
22. What was your favourite TV program?
We aren’t big TV heads however we have a few faves. The Graham Norton Show is an absolute scream, I can’t resist that domestic goddess Nigella Lawson, I love the wit of QI with Stephen Fry, and of course a just lurve Grand Designs with Kevin McLeod. Hmmm, just realised they’re all British shows. The lovely Wayne has insisted I also list Family Guy and Futurama!
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t like the word hate when talking about people. There’s probably 1 or 2 people that I dislike more than I did last year so we’ll just leave it at that.
24. What was the best book you read?
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. A fantastic book that I couldn’t put down.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
There’s been a several this year (Adele, Katie Melua, Florence & the Machine to name a few), but the one that struck a chord with me was a song by Mindy Gledhill. It’s a beautiful song and it sums up my feelings towards the lovely Wayne. Yes I know, pathetic romantic alert!! LOL.
26. What did you want and get?
A better understanding of myself (inner peace if you like).
27. What did you want and not get?
Marriage.
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
I can (sadly) only recall going to the cinema once last year. We saw Money Ball late last year and enjoyed it.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 45 in November and was itching to do the public transport thing (yes I know, ever the adventurer!). We had the day off work together and travelled by train to Sydney where the lovely Wayne took me to the Picasso Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW and then to a favourite Spanish restaurant for dinner. Simple pleasures but I had the best day.
30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Recognition and personal thanks from quite senior staff at work for my achievements and contributions throughout the year.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Extremes I guess. It was either suit and tie or shorts/jeans and t-shirt!
32. What kept you sane?
Being able to download to a few special people. Namely Michelle, Geraldine, and the lovely Wayne. You 3 have no idea just much your listening and encouraging words did for me. Oh yes, and there was Semillon Sauvignon Blanc too!
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmmm, no one person in particular comes to mind.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
That would be pretty much a tie between Australia’s shyte policies and decisions regarding asylum seekers and marriage equality (see Q13).
35. Who did you miss?
2011 has been an unusual year in this regard. The lovely Wayne and I lost our beautiful little girl Sophie three and a half years ago after 12 wonderful years. Our little Jack Russell cross was the child we could never have and although it’s been 3 and a half years, I’ve really missed her this last year - painfully so. She has been in my thoughts pretty much every day.
The lovely Wayne and our Sophie
36. Who was the best new person you met?
This is a tough one as I made a number of new friends at work that have helped me heaps in my new role. I guess our neighbour Helen would be pretty close to the top of the list too – we are very lucky to have such a great neighbour. She’s definitely a kindred spirit.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
I learnt not to underestimate or doubt my abilities.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
On the radio, on every TV show
for each and every reason, each and every season.
Music when we love for the moon above,
music for the show of life that never ends.
Music on a plane, music on a train,
sailing in the ocean, music in the motion.
Music in your car, at your local bar.
There's music when you look at a star.
Can’t Stop the Music – Village People
And so there you have it dear reader, my 2011 year in review. I’d love to read your 2011 in review so please feel free to leave your answers (or a link to them) in the comments if you feel so inclined.
