True friends

You know there is a saying that a friend is there for the good times but a true friend stays around for the bad and I must say I have found this to be so true.

The last few days have been horrid. We got a call to say Stuart (Tony's brother) had a heart attack friday night. This was a major heart attack and he was transferred to St George by helicopter in the early hours of Saturday morning. We then got a call at 4.30am sunday morning to say he had deteriorated and they were calling the family in. So Tony, Gail, Davina, Stephen and Philip drove up to the hospital.

He really has had a hard time of it. He had a triple bypass, was ventilated, then had a tamponade or similar, had to have his chest re opened. Was put on a heart/lung machine, put on dialysis and his kidneys failed and was put in a drug induced coma.

He is now in a stable condition and has just been transferred to St Vincents hospital.

Anyway in the midst of all this I found out who my true friends were. They sent messages to let know they were thinking of me and just having that support meant a lot. To Jane, Cass and Sandra thank you so much you have no idea how much I appreciate your friendship.

I ask that you keep Stuart and his family in your thoughts and keep praying for him.

Special mail

I was sitting at the table having my morning cuppa (really - if you want me to be human I MUST have my morning cuppa) and relaxing in the midst of kids running around when DH drops a parcel in front of me.

Inside was a wonderful pack with chipboard and ribbons and tags and heaps of cool scrapping stuff. There was no return address and no note with it but it put such a big smile on my dial. Things have been so busy lately and I haven't felt like I have time to think but this really brightened my day.

So to whoever - THANK YOU so much. It was a lovely surprise but mainly just the thought that someone was thinking of me made me feel extra special and grin like a fool!

Thespian moments

Had one of those busy days today. Spent the first half of the morning at Dr Dayoub's surgery running through things with his wife.

Went from there to the School of Arts to watch Kyle in the Eisteddfod. He was part of a small group from his class that did a short play. There were just three characters and he did really well. I was so proud of him. He spoke loudly without yelling, very clearly, and remembered all his lines! He did such a good job. I think we just have a budding thespian in the family.

Went from there to work at the anaesthetic practice. It was going to be my afternoon off but Sally asked me to work so she could go home - she has the horrid flu virus that is going around. So it's been a busy day. Got home, cooked dinner, sorted the kids out and then SCRAPPED! Yes thats right I actually found some time to sit and scrap. Oh how good did that feel! I really have a struggle finding time to do it and I feel so much better when I do - it's my stress relief.

Starting to feel normal

Yuck I have been so sick over the weekend. Started Thursday night - was up nearly all night being violently ill and got up Friday went to work for about an hour before I was sent home. Went to bed and apart from jumping up to rush to the bathroom stayed there for over 24 hours! Haven't done that in years and years.

Spent Sunday just lazing around with absolutely no energy and no oooommph at all.

I woke up this morning feeling almost normal. Lasted the whole day at work - Came home to find Tony re-arranging our bedroom which we had planned to do on the weekend but because I was sleeping in there we couldn't!

Anyway to cut a long story short - I am still feeling slightly *blech* but much more human

My boy's gone to camp.

Well don't know if camp is the right word but he has gone off for an overnight trip to Canberra. Had to be up at 4am this morning - YUCK.

They are going to Parliament house (when it is in session) and to the electoral commision etc etc. They stay overnight in cabins in groups of 6. 3 classes and 4 teachers! Feel sorry for those poor teachers!

I thought I was coping okay with it but didn't sleep at all last night. I think my mind was trying to stop me thinking (and worrying) about it so I had every other thought in the world running through my head all night.

Some scrapping

Scary - it's another post from me!!!!!

Thought I'd better prove that I do still scrap on the odd occasion. This first LO is for an album I am doing on people who have been an important part of my life or influenced me in a major way.

My stuff lately has been very basic but I like it that way. I do do the fussy thing as well and I LURVE to fussy cut but lately I just haven't had the mojo. If anyone finds my mojo hidden somewhere can they send it home please.

This tin was done on the spur of the moment when I had no scrapping mojo - Gail had a spare tin so I sat down and did this instead! I was really happy with how it turned out.

Mothers Day!

Hope you all had a Happy Mothers Day.

My day started with me getting out the shower and going to head out of my bedroom to be met by Tasha - one hand straight out in front of her - saying "You can't come out here, get back into bed and read a book!".

So I did.

I got back into bed (wet hair and all) and picked up "The power of a praying parent" and started reading. Then Tasha and Kyle came in with my breakfast - they had cooked me toad-in-the-hole which is an egg cooked in a piece of bread with a hole cut out, except instead of a hole they used cookie cutters so my egg was in the shape of a bunny rabbit!!

I got very spoilt. Tasha gave me some new slippers and an itunes voucher (so I have spent this evening downloading music!) and Kyle gave me a new mobile phone.

We went to church this morning and then went up to Georgia to have lunch with Mum and John. All in all a very pleasant and relaxed day. Oh and whilst I was at Mum's Mark rang to say Happy Mothers Day so I got to chat with him as well!

Catch up time

Had a lovely dinner tonight - we had Greg, Simone, Jhorjie and Dominic over for a baked dinner.

It was great to just sit and chat - haven't done that in a while. We did lots of catching up - discussing the guys (it's okay they joined in too ~ lol) and an awful lot of "Do you remembers" and "What was that guy's name" etc.

It was a great evening and we will definately have to do it more often.

Watch out - this girl is armed!

You better step back - be warned this girl can now use power tools!

~L~

I had some things I wanted put up in our bathroom today and rather than waiting and nagging and waiting etc for Tony to do them I thought I'd give it a go. I know it's not very exciting for some but for me - Hey I have now used a power tool!!!

I thought it was exciting anyway! ~L~

Its been a good weekend

This weekend has been a very encouraging one for me.

Saturday morning we helped some friends move house. We have known the Baldwins for some time now and their daugther and Tasha are really good friends. (Well truth be told.... Tony did lots of helping I went and cleaned for 2 hours and then left). But thats because I had to go to - - -

The Scrapping with Soul scrap day. Didn't have much mojo - didn't acheive much - but did do a tin that I was VERY happy with but mainly I got to sit and chat and had a much needed conversation with Cass. I am not a big "sharer" or personal problems as I don't like to burden others with my problems and tend to wait until after things have settled to speak up but I did manage to share with Cass yesterday and I thank her so much for listening. I know all will be fine but I do tend to stress anyway!
Got some pics from New Zealand scrapped - have to sit down now and work out what I want to take to the SWS retreat - CANT WAIT.

Today has been a fairly pleasant - again haven't achieved much but just pottered around the house. Cleaned out one of the kitchen cupboards and went shopping with the girls. (Tegan stayed over here last night as things were still unpacked at her place so Tasha and Tegan had a ball playing "golf" outside. Very dangerous for bystanders!

Do have some photos - will get around to posting them at some stage.

Have been pining for Melbourne a lot lately. Will have to try and find some way to get down there soon. SJ- miss you heaps sweetie.

Blessed

The past few days have been full of reflections over the past year. Life has been extremely busy and hectic lately but I realised that it now 1 year since I bit the bullet and quit my job.

I have been doing a bit of blog surfing and thinking about what has happened in my life. Seeing what is going on in others lives and the change in mine. I have gone from feeling so low and flat to actually starting to like the person I am and feeling truly "happy". I have not felt this content for an awful long time.

Sorry to drivel on but I just wanted to record for myself to look back on the good things in my life.

1) WORK

I have gone from being in a job which whilst it had people I absolutely adored and a boss I throughly enjoyed working for caused so much stress and low self esteem due to one particular staff member. I left here thinking there is no way I would work in this town again (dramatic I know but she always pushed how much influence she had with everyone). Ihave since found this not to be true and have 3 great jobs in friendly offices. These jobs have offered me no end of self-esteem boosting as I have not applied for any of them but had people chase me to work for them. It is nice to hear that I have a good reputation and that people want me! Each time I have had that call saying "Heard you were free and were wondering if you would consider coming to work with us" it gives me such a warm fuzzy boost.

I have some challenges coming up but these are very exciting and I can't wait.

2) HOME LIFE

The kids have settled down well at school and Tony and I are actually listening to each other and supporting each other. Even though our work hours do make any sort of family life difficult we are getting there. We still do communicate via notes or sms during the week sometimes and I hate being at home alone at night but we're getting there. We have our "family outings" and even if it's just a day at a park it's lovely to just sit and chat and spend time together.

3) FRIENDS

I have some great people in my life right now. These people encourage me and are there in good times and bad. I am so blessed to count them as my mates! Sometimes people come into your life just when you need them and I know that these people are here to stay.

Jane - You have been there through thick and thin. You have been there for hugs when that pesky crying woman appears and with champers and choccies on "those" days. You make me laugh and know just when I need a hug (or when I DONT need a hug ~L~)

SJ - You are the other half of me. Tony and I were just discussing how relaxed I am around you and how you are the person I am the most "ME" around. Thank you for the fun and silliness we have when we are together but also for being the support when I need it. Thanks for caring for me and for somehow knowing when I need a MWAH. I love that I am an "honorary Allan" and always welcomed as part of the family. You love me for just being me and that is such a special gift. You have no idea how much I treasure our friendship gorgeous girl.

Cass - We met and clicked straight away. Thank you for sharing your family with me and for just being you. You are always so open and willing to share. I love your generous personality and your smile. I feel at peace with you and feel comfortable and I thank you so much for letting me into your life. I love our days out and even just sitting chatting . You encourage me in so many ways and I thank you for that.

Tracy - We have been friends for so long and even though we don't see each other often I know you are there and when we do catch up it's like we have never parted. You know the good and bad parts of me (even the bits I try and hide from the world) and love me anyway.

I guess this is a rather long winded way of saying LIFE IS GOOD! I am at a point where not only am I happy but I am actually beginning to think that this person called Cath is kind of okay and not the total fool I used to think she was!