“This weekend we’re asking for 33 of your own words about a famous trio. The trio could be from literature, from history or from pop culture. Just make it yours and have fun with it.”
http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/
Running fast as a river current along flood swollen banks
Trickling a stream of blood along the trail from their absent tails
Leaving the farmer’s wife behind, carving knife in her hand
Blind!
An anniversary is a time to reflect on the good times, the support you give each other through the challenges and to look ahead to create new dreams together. Marriage is hard work just as all friendships are.
Today marks our 26th wedding anniversary. So, why are we still together? Hmmm, yes why ?? 🙂 I’m not going to say we are lucky.
The marriage isn’t perfect but it’s happy. We have had difficulties, but through everything I think the important thing has been there is a sense of ‘us’, not just ‘you and me’.
We accept imperfections – though his list is WAY longer than mine of course! 🙂 I must admit he hid them well in our initial years.
We still laugh together (though my jokes are definitely funnier).
We share the workload. Yes, (his tasks) washing ironing, pool upkeep, filing the cars with petrol, garbage bins and gardening is a lot less than (my tasks) making lunches, cooking dinner, (and in years gone by driving the kids to school, sport etc) ,cleaning the home, looking after pets but I’m more organised in the ‘smarter not harder’ thought and so my chores leave me with ‘me’ time long before he finishes off .
We both had the same ideas about child rearing methods. When the kids were growing up we shared care, love and fun with them. We both had the same wants and dreams for them. We never played each other off as good parent / bad parent (though of course I was the BEST parent). Much of our life together has been as parents. It is now we have moved onto being just us now. We were lucky to find out the kids weren’t holding us together.
We make time for each other. Even from when the kids were little with limited funds and limited opportunities to go out without the children (we actually loved having the kids with us) we were creative with time. We had ‘supper dates’ on Friday nights – food snacks and dvds once the kids were in bed. Now our Friday food snacks are much larger (as are we ) and we don’t have to wait for the kids to be in bed cause now they are off doing their own Friday night thing.
By doing these things we are showing each other
– 3 essential things to a good marriage in my opinion.
You receive some wonderful, improbable, hoped-for good news. How do you celebrate?
Growing up in a teetotalling family it wasn’t the bubbly or beer that was broken out. Celebrations in my family always revolved around sharing of food. We always had a special chosen meal for birthdays . The meals were of a take away nature something we didn’t eat so much of then. Our choice was mostly limited to Chinese food , KFC ( Kentucky Fried Chicken as it was known as then) or fish and chips. My favourite ( still is actually) was sweet and sour chicken and fried rice. We didn’t eat out at night.
We also had a cake. Sometimes it was home made but the ones I remember best were those from a local cake shop. They decorated using mock cream and created the best ever sponge cake layered with cream and decorated (using mock cream ) with cute little mice and frogs on it. I’m no so sure why they chose mice- a somewhat strange choice but delicious. These cakes were even given to my children when they were little , before the cake store stopped this style.
Today we still celebrate with food.
So, if I were to receive good news it would definitely be a food occasion. As not a big alcohol consumer I wouldn’t organise that. Although I love eating out I would choose take away at home so we could all sit around and loudly discuss the news. Of course cake would be included. For me it would be a sponge cake with fresh cream. Still a favourite of mine.
Who would I celebrate with? Definitely the most important people to me … my husband , my two ‘kids’ and their partners.
Oh and I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to give a speech .
How do you celebrate the important events?
I have never been to Bali. I admit my perception of Bali is based on the images and tales portrayed of places such as Kuta Beach and as a middle aged person I don’t see the attraction of cheap ( maybe not even safe ) alcohol, drunks wandering the streets and a culture of drug use by tourist and poor hygiene . I’ve also been reading on the sharing ( or lack there of) the tourist dollar and the huge disparity between rich and poor , tourism even perpetuating this and the corruption.
I understand travelling to experience new cultures. However , I see many in my age bracket and younger ones with families return to Bali on a regular basis. Those I know who frequent Bali often have homes there and Balinese friendship circles, sharing home ownership with a local. Some just travel to resorts. I understand repeat holiday spots. I frequent Hamilton Island. But , from where I live it’s a two and a half hour plane trip , needs no travel insurance for health / accidents and its the type of holiday I take when I want to do nothing but relax. Bali is a six and a half hour trip according to flight schedules, smart traveller lists it as exercise a high degree of caution yet people are still making there way there.
Never one to close my mind to hearing other people’s views I’m interested to hear what is the drawcard of Bali. Where do you stay, what do you do, what draws you back? Do you share wealth with the balinese directly to ensure they get the funds?
Give me a view from one who has actually been there. I look forward to your responses.
I’m sitting at my computer starving! Its 7:15 pm and I’m ready for dinner. It’s take away food night (lately which night hasn’t been ) so I’m waiting for my husband to bring it home after visiting his dad He visits twice a week but the other visit they eat dinner together so I don’t have to wait I can choose my own.
I got to thinking about the saying “Eat to live or live to eat” and decided I subscribe to the later choice. I grew up in a house which was managed by meal times (no complaints haha). Breakfast was set up the night before. The table was laid, the cereal and jams were on the table and the toaster up on the cupboard. My mum was a stay at home mum so it obviously was set up to make it easy for us not her – it wasn’t for extra sleep in as she got up early when my dad was getting ready for work and that was early!! I used to look forward to winter mornings because my dad had porridge and my mum would bring me a serve to at in bed.
On weekends this breakfast ritual continued and it was these days that revolved around meals as we were all home. After breakfast was cleared morning tea was prepared for around 10 am on Sundays. There was no morning tea on Saturdays as the whole family did grocery shopping. I loved grocery shopping because when it was completed it signaled the purchase of serve of hot chips with vinegar which we would all get to eat on the car drive home.
Then at home, groceries were put away and the lunch began. Saturday lunches were easy but we all ate at the table. In winter we had netball after lunch. Dinner was then served at 6pm. On week days as soon as Dad would arrive home from work the meal was placed on the table and this was 6 pm too. We had dessert most nights. I looked forward to seeing what was planned for the two courses of dinner each night, watching Mum cook them, lingering to taste test the gravy, dip a finger in the cream, taste a spoonful of unset jelly.
Nowadays all grown up and the major food organiser in the house, I’m always thinking of my next meal, or the next dinner out or just what might be available for a snack later in the night. Definitely I live to eat. If I have someone pop in I immediately think about what food I shall serve with the coffee. If I organise a catch up with friends I always think about a food venue for it. I get cross (mild term lol) if food isn’t right or served when I think it should be. I just love to sit and graze when I have the chance.
7:45pm and I hear him arriving home… HOORAY!!
What about you …which one do you follow EAT to LIVE or LIVE to EAT.
My holidays started at 3:30pm this afternoon. I have 2 weeks off work. Have been playing with Tagxedo . Its about all my brain feels like doing tonight 🙂
Your home is on fire. Grab five items (assume all people and animals are safe). What did you grab?
I found this post idea on a Daily Prompt site of a while ago and it seemed appropriate to write on.
Today, traveling back from a school excursion on alighting the bus , the driver was discussing the issue of back burning and the importance of its timing. I recalled in my mind the local bushfires of 1994 when my coastal settlement was effectively ringed by fire. At that time I was caught here with my children (3.5 and 5 years old). While we were luckily never in real danger from the fire ( just a few darkened tree trunks , an oil slick on the pool from burnt eucalyptus leaves and a very sooty home to clean after) we ‘evacuated’ to a nearby hotel on my mother’s insistence – she was sure I would sleep through evacuation calls. This would have been quite difficult in reality, as I didn’t really sleep the first night but spent it outside with neighbours as they plugged drainpipes and filled them with water while watching the orange flickers rising up from behind the hill.
Before we left for the hotel I told the kids to each pack a backpack of important things. I was frazzled by heat and no sleep -and no take away food, as McDonald trucks couldn’t bring in supplies as the freeway was cut in all directions). Funnily too, we had tried a local BBQ chicken store (with flames licking behind the store, a helicopter dipping into the creek to retrieve water to douse the fires) only to read the somewhat ironic sign on the door “No Charcoal Chickens today!”
So, just in case the fire turned our way in my absence I collected some things I considered important as I had instructed the children to do. In my collection I took the black briefcase that held all our important paper documents. I figured I might need insurance record. I then tugged photos from the walls and collected the photo albums and chucked them into the car boot. I filled a washing hamper with clean clothes for us all and tossed in a few bottles of water and some biscuits and headed to the hotel with an ocean view, where we stayed in air conditioned comfort for a couple of nights. J
What did the kids have in their important bags? My son had his collection of Thomas the Tank engine toys and a few other toys and books. My daughter had some Barbie dolls, a plastic tea set and some princess heel kid shoes. I obviously had taught them what important meant.
Today , if I were to leave in a hurry and could take only 5 things I’d take my iPad , iPhone( and the chargers), external hard drive from the desktop computer, the old photo albums (not yet digitalised ) and my jewellery box. Having all insurance details etc contained digitally is a bonus.
What would you take?
What a difficult choice but after some deliberation I have decided I would forgo touch to gain super sensitivity in hearing. Why you ask?
Sight
Eyes are the window to the soul. Watching people I am able to learn more about them than they can ever show me. Body language tells more than the words they use. It is sight that allows me to do such things as see the expressions on the faces of those around me, enables me to watch the bloom grow on the plant, the sun rise and set against a hue of purple or pink clouds and to look back on photos to recall happy events with added clarity . I’m not good with darkness . I’m not sure I could survive in a world without light.
Sound
I can’t imagine not hearing it again. I grew up with listen to conversations, and joining in (Im one of the fastest talkers I know … and I listen just as well). I love to hear birds singing to welcome the dawn or warn of impending danger, rain falling on the roof when I’m tucked up warm inside. Music is an important part of my life, I grew up with constant background music and many songs hold precious memories for me when I hear them play. I play it loud at home and in the car. I love singing (though off key … hmmm that might be a vote for losing hearing some may think J )
Taste
I recently lost this for a few days after having a bad cold. I love eating and I love savouring the taste of food. Without taste, food became just an essential like water. I chewed for pure sustenance. The joy was gone. I ate food I don’t particularly normally enjoy as there was no reason to pile on calories when no pleasure was received from them.
Smell
Smells (though some unpleasant) too, create memories for me. A scent reminds me of my mum. I’m not sure what perfume it is exactly but when Imo put I know it when it wafts and it brings back wonderful memories. The smell of coffee tells me the day is beginning, onions cooking on a BBQ remind me of the BBQs we so often had as children, cakes baking in the oven remind me of afternoon tea from my childhood, diesel fuel I associate with the excitement of a flight to a holiday destination…I could go on and on.
Which brings me to why I would forgo touch
Touch
I would miss the feel of my husband’s and children’s hugs but I could watch their face as they hugged and see their comfort and love at the time. I wouldn’t miss the pain so often associated with touch . I wouldn’t feel my pet’s fur as I stroked them but I would hear the cat purr, watch the dog’s face as my hand brushed over them. No longer would I grimace at needles, cuts and burns (especially those from my hair straightener). Dry skin would no longer be an issue (I’ve been obsessed with hand and body lotion since as early as I can remember). I would enjoy walking in the ocean finally without the feel of salt crystals on my skin after.
And why an increase in hearing? My eyesight is fine (at least for now), taste and smell works well (except after a cold sometimes). I must admit I love a good gossip. I’m thinking of all those whispered conversations that would be in my domain with improved hearing J
Which sense would you be willing to forgo and why? Leave me a comment here. I look forward to your responses.
As I write I’m getting my motivation up to do a bit more decluttering of my home. I’m watching Extreme Clutter on television. I reason if they can do it, I can too with a smaller job. I have also read Lessons in Letting Go: Confessions of a Hoarder by Corinne Grant.
Using humour she provides some key ideas to help with the clearing process.
But what exactly is clutter vs sentiment? I am a sentimental person and tend to give ‘things’ a life. However, there’s only so many things one can keep in a limited space. I also have a bit of a problem with ” I might need it later”. That is the hard jump in decluttering.
Unfortunately both my husband and I are hoarders so there isn’t one person encouraging another….least not until lately.
I found decluttering the kitchen became easy once I accepted that while I always love to have any gadget available , I rarely use them. I was helped too, by the fact my school fete was happening so my junk became saleable goods for the school ( after all most had only been used once or twice !)
My husband isn’t yet so excited by the idea of decluttering his things but I think I can work on that! 😉
Ok show’s over, time to get busy. This time I think it will be my wardrobe. I left a few too many unwanted things in there last time.
Are you are hoarder or a declutterer? If you are good at decluttering please leave me some helpful tips to keep me motivated. 🙂
WordPress. Daily prompt challenge – Write a six-word story about what you think the future holds for you, and then expand on it in a post.
Todays dreams paint the future canvas
I’m a bucket lister. I read about the idea once and began creating a list. I tried to only include those things I could achieve for myself , that don’t rely on the actions of others.
Here’s a short version of my list. The order doesn’t reflect the importance. I’ve included some of my favourites which already have ticks. The list is dynamic and I add to it as I find new things that interest me
Travel
To visit Northern Territory – walk around Uluru, see Kata Tjuta ( or The Olgas as I always think of them ) see Aboriginal art in its environment and visit Kakadu BIG TICK
Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. BIG TICK
Travel to every state and territory of Australia. BIG TICK
These above canvases have certainly lived up to my dreams.
Visit Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest
Visit USA again and see Abby Lee Dance Studio – and hopefully Abby Lee 🙂
Visit the Blue Grotto and Pompeii
Visit Churchill to se the polar bears in the wild
African wildlife safari
Go to the Melbourne Cup
See the Canadian Rocky Mountains by train
Fly over Antarctica – preferable ice class 🙂
Do a Sound of Music Tour
Other
Cook a three course meal ( that’s tasty ,not burnt and looks like the recipes pictures)
Lean more conversational Italian
Attend a dawn service for ANZAC DAY
Be on Sydney Harbour for New Years Eve
Write a children’s picture book
Write a collection of short stories
Watch Sunrise and Kochie ( the tv show) from the glass windows at Martin Place
Do you have a list of dreams? Care to share a few with me here??
