Hi Ho Off We All Go

Well, up the Tweenies and I got this morning to go to the Farmer's Market for 7am!! I am positive that they would have rather slept in but I asked them to come and they agreed. Tweenie Son was again very agreeable at being woken although he did mumble something about 'I've got to do something at school'... Tweenie Girls was her predictable self so I stood at the door telling her to 'waken' as she snarled a bit. So, off we went. Okay, okay, it wasn't quite so easy. I did sort of bribe them with the potential for a hot chocolate if they caused me no trouble but I did impress upon them that that wasn't to be the reason to come. It was of course, so off we went. Apart from Tweenie Son rally-driving my shopping basket which is on wheels, all went well. I suppose it is because he is a boy. i don't quite view the world with the same focus that everything needs to 'screech' and 'spin'. New stage is stunt riding on his bike. Broken wrist cured the skateboard stage for a while. 

We are having family again this weekend so anti pasta for entree, followed by chilli prawn linguine with spinach with home made garlic bread and orange syrup cake with dessert. If we get around to coffee then some almond bread biscotti to finish off. Noice. Silver Fox's brother, wife and their fur-child (dog) are coming for the night before they head overseas next week for a holiday. Aaaahhhh, now wouldn't that be nice? To jet off for 3 weeks. One day perhaps.

We had a bit of a scare with Tweenie Son yesterday. We are trying to give him a bit more independence as he is 10 so we will let him ride his bike and meet up with friends. We also let him go to the corner shop for milk etc. So yesterday he was playing with 2 friends, one of whom I didn't know although he seemed nice. I was outside to keep an eye out as he was in the park. Can't see too much due to the trees but could probably hear if any trouble. Can't help it really. Part of their playing was going into the 'drains' which is a big no-no in our family (partly due to snakes ...). At one stage he thought he lost his new friend so him and his other friend went to the parents to tell them they thought he was stolen. They parents promptly put both boys in their car and got them to give directions to where they thought he had been picked up by a stranger. Hhhhmmmmm. Not on. Getting into someone's car. Especially people you don't know. Friends, what would you have done? Parents should know better I suppose but I guess they were concerned that their son had been abducted. The boys weren't causing trouble. They saw a van where they thought their friend was and were quite worried that he was really in trouble.  Tweenie Son was very upset when he got home. Why? Because he hopped in a car and he knew that was wrong. Did I yell? No.  Did I ban him from his newly found independence? Yes. Because he was playing in the drains. We discussed it all calmly. We problem solved about remembering license plates. We talked about stranger danger in general. We also discussed that 'feeling' he had in his tummy. The one that told him that the situation wasn't right. So, I will clip his wings for a while. And get more grey hair trying to balance his life between safety and autonomy....... I had a bit of a sleepless night worrying about the 'what ifs' life throws at us every day. Friends would you have done anything differently?......

Ciao for now

just Martha

Moments oF Love

Getty Images

I thought today I could do an extra post on 'Moments of Love' as I continue my journey with you on becoming aware of me, myself and I. What makes me tick? What brings me joy. What do I love. I think it is important to look around and know who you are. So, as I was waking my gorgeous children in our usual morning ritual, I realized something. As I went and woke Tweenie Son, I realized that I l-o-v-e waking him after a long sleep. I wake him first, always. So, hhhmmmmmm, why do I love it? I pondered on this. Not a usual joy for Mums - waking their sleeping children. Can be a bit unpredictable at times really. Then I knew........... Then it came to me. He wakes up exactly as he did when he was a little baby!!!! He stretches and wiggles and rolls over. And his eyes open and he smiles at me. He always turns his head to the side which means I can sneak in a kiss on his beautiful neck and breathe in his scent. (Oh I know I won't always be wanting to breathe in his smell! He is 10 now so I know gross smells are to come!!) He always wakes up happy. For those friends with children do you remember when they finally woke and spotted you and their little faces lit up with love? Your heart melted because you made this wonderous being? This time of the morning seems to be our time, our special Moment of Love. He might not realize it, he might never realize it. But I do....

I remember when my parents used to wake me growing up. If my Mum came in saying 'uppy puppy' it would make all 3 of us cross. AND it is the same with my children - they hate it. How funny!!! I can get away with 'rise and shine' or 'better get up- buttercup'. My Dad, whom I love dearly, used to come in on a Sunday singing 'Morning Has Broken' - now THAT used to drive me insane. Definitely no smiles from me. As a teenager it made me so cross!!! He would have made a huge cooked breakfast with potato pancakes, bacon... the lot and I would be crabby as. How awful of me. I feel so bad, remembering. Poor Dad - ungrateful child!! Must apologize to him next time I see him.

  Friends, take joy in the everyday. Look around and be more aware of you life and appreciate what you do have. Be mindful of the everyday. Think about it. What moments do you love?......

Ciao for now

just Martha

Poker Faced

You may remember that Wednesdays in our family are "Family Nights" and last night was no exception. Chores (also part of my evil plan as the cleaner comes on a Thursday and the family needs to tidy their stuff off the floor etc.......... Look I know we could have a whole blog session on 'Cleaning before the Cleaner Comes'......), dinner, dishes and then we were all settling down for a nice family game. No TV and no one seems to mind. Yay me!!! So, last night we were learning poker.... yes poker! Might come back to haunt us but there we were running through pairs, three of a kind, straights... etc. Getting the hang of it. Needing to work on our 'poker faces' next as we were a bit hopeless. Note to family 'no cheering when you have a good hand'. After a bit more practice and the chips will come out for some serious stuff!

So, we put a record on the stereo to listen to as background, mood music. Now, the children are a bit scared of the stereo because they can't get their heads around the 'technology'. "What's a track???", "How does the needle-thingy work"..."I'm not touching it!!!!!" Sort of like "Reverse techno-phobic" really. Strange to think what they know as normal in their short lives yet can't wrap their minds around a record player. Still, I braved the stereo and put it on. The record was "Straight Ahead" around 1987 and they knew some of the songs: Tainted Love by Soft Cell etc. So, there we were playing, playing, playing, laughing and learning when suddenly. B-A-N-G!!!! There was a big flash and a smell of electrical fire and......... the stereo had blown up!!!! Well, the kids were up like a shot and g-o-n-e. So, now they are really scared!! Terrified even. They wouldn't even sit near it after it was checked out and unplugged. It still played but we decided not to risk it. How funny!!!! Wednesday nights are getting really interesting.....

Do you spend family time together? What do you do to create memories? Most of the research shows spending time as a family has so many positive benefits. At the moment this the Family Night is pretty big. At one time the Silver Fox was working away during the week and Tweenie Son thought we were divorced. He k-n-e-w we were divorced! We weren't. We just had to do what we had to do and working away for 5 days was it at the time. Still, it made us sit up and take notice of what our life was like and to make a few changes. So, part of this evolution back into family life is being mindful of our everyday life together. We eat together every night and debrief about the day. I guess they will always remember the night when 'the stereo blew up'!!!!!!............

Ciao for now




just Martha

Sisters

I have a wonderful family. A very close family. And our extended family is close too so we often celebrate occasions together like Christmas and birthdays. None of this driving around Christmas day visiting everyone. They all come to me over the course of a few days. I have a pool and the beach. Works out just fine. We have had a few health scares and the like over the years but nothing really tragic. I am glad. Some of you may have estrangements or tragedy may have stuck. I feel for you. I know we are lucky.


I have a sister.  (I have a brother too but let's discuss sisters this time). We are very close LJ and I (let's call her 'LJ'. The 'J' being for John and although that is not her name, it is what we do call her. Long story for another time but have just thrown it in to keep you interested...). We speak nearly every day. She doesn't live near me which is a pity as the babysitting system we could have set up....!!!! Never mind. Not to be.  Focus on what I do have. A sister. A fabulous sister. I admire every ounce of her being. Oh, don't get me wrong we bicker and have disagreements because, heck, we a-r-e sisters after all!! She is taller than me. I know sibling stories are not always the same but we know we are lucky. I feel for Tweenie girl having no sister but it is not something I have any control over. Maybe those of you without sisters have a best-est friend. I hope for Tweenie's sake it will be the same. Will it? Is it to those of you sister-less? 

At the moment when I answer the phone all I can hear is crazy laughter. And I know who it is. It is her. And I know why she is laughing. And I start laughing, hysterically. Why? It all has to do with a funny situation and weak bladder muscles - nearly. We have been laughing about this since March but it recently has had a resurgence. Very funny.  Might be one of those 'had to be there' stories if I retell it.

We had a health scare with LJ. A real do or die situation. I was having morning tea with some Mummies after school/kindy drop off and when I got back to the car there was 13 missed calls on my phone. My heart stood still. I knew something bad had happened. She is still here to tell the tale, mostly unscathed.  Nothing like that to make you appreciate life. I can't imagine my life without her. Or the world without her in it. Luckily the story had a happy ending but we appreciate every second of every day. AND we don't sweat the small stuff. No point. It is just small stuff. And boy, do we appreciate life more.  Do you? Are you focused on getting from A to B or do you take the scenic route? Think about it friends...... It is so easy to forget when the babes are small and there is so much to do. But at least once per day, take a deep breath, and just look around. Look at the wonder about you...... give it a try........
     

Ciao for now

just Martha

Home Dilemmas

 Do you have secrets in your home? I don't mean deep dark secrets or skeletons on the closet. I mean, sort of, house secrets. You know, the things that people who live there know that others may not. These sort of things become apparent when you have visitors. What do I mean? Well, like wiggling the front door key to open the door, or, skipping over the squeaky step in the middle of the night. Things like that. I have iron secrets. I know them because I am the only one to use the iron. I didn't think to tell anyone... I have an iron that you can't fill with water because it sets off the fuse and the whole house shuts down. It has been like that for years. I know it so I use a spray bottle of water. Job done. No problems. Oh, I know it sounds like I am dicing with death at every crease but, I refuse to pay $100 for an iron when this one works just fine. Sort of. However, my little 'Home Secret' unraveled rather tragically. My Mother-in-Law came to babysit. Trouble. Not with her per-se but with the iron. Okay, okay, I m-i-g-h-t have strategically left the iron, ironing board, spray bottle and all the ironing out in a place she was sure to stumble upon after the kids were in bed! (Well, you can iron and watch TV at the same time! And grandparents do like to be helpful!) Well, she went and put water in it didn't she? Logical process really BUT, not with my iron. Disaster!!! Silver Fox and I arrived home to complete darkness. The electronic garage door wouldn't open. "Hmmm" we thought, 'what's going on? Did we have a blackout?" No. We didn't. There we found M-I-L sitting in complete darkness. Still, like a statue. Unsure even where to begin to look for candles or a torch!! Luckily she hadn't been like that for long. Maybe 10 minutes. Not hours thank goodness. Ooops....... sorry!! I still have the same iron though..... but I don't leave it out for the unsuspecting visitor to be helpful. Sorry....


Ciao for now


just Martha

Sleek Lines

From the stairs looking West. This is my neighbour's house but I love the clean lines...

The simple handrail

Looking up the stairs

Looking down the stairs

This one won't cooperate but looking to the window from upstairs. The wall on the right is awaiting a picture

Stairs. I love them. We have our bedrooms upstairs and our living downstairs. We did this in our last house too and when the kiddies were small it meant that days were spent downstairs and upstairs stayed tidy. Seemed important at the time. Now we still spend most of the day downstairs. We have an "Up Room" which is like a sitting room upstairs. Great for playstation and games. Bean bags etc. Informal area. These are our timber stairs. We have had timber before and I know some people think it is such hard work. Not me. Easy-peasy. Bit of vinegar in the water and done!!  Once per week. I lie to you not. We have timber upstairs and down. We have a few asthmatics in our family so decided long ago that carpet was out. My theory is (Hmmm, I seem to have lots of theories...) that there is no less dust or dirt but with timber you can see it and sweep it up. Not sure if you all think the same but there you go.  Timber. It give such a wonderful tone to everything. This timber is Australian Beech.

I love our bank of louvers. They are r-e-a-l-l-y big and give great light to the stairs. The stairs are in the middle of the house discretely off to the side. I employed a few Feng-shui principles so we did this so that the energy didn't come in the front door and whizz straight upstairs. (Bad apparently. It needs to be 'confused' and have no straight path). I also love the lighting on the wall of the stairs which can be dimmed to be subtle or be quite bright. Our last house had lighting over the stairs so to change a lightbulb was risking life and limb hanging over the ballastrade. Not this time. Wiser this time. Love the squareness of the lights and their even placement. See, girls, take pleasure in the small stuff. You will have to suffer with photos taken my moi until I can work out how to upload the groovier, professional ones. Still a bit techno-challenged.  So I will leave you with the sleek lines of my stairs and the Silver Fox will get around to replacing the last 2 wires(!). Still needing that big bit of art for the wall. Waiting, waiting, waiting, looking, looking, looking...


Ciao for now

just Martha

Favourite: Candle

Citta Design

Candles lit - gorgeous!!

 Believe it or not these are photos of candles not vases. They are one of my favourite possessions and were bought from Citta Design a few years ago. I like the shape and the colour: duck egg blue. They are not tall enough to interfere with conversation but attractive enough to be the centrepiece as well as the mood lighting. They are f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c for outside use as they cast a soft glow and don't blow out with the breeze. We get lots of breeze where I live. Don't sit at the end of the table or else every one's salad will end up in your lap! I kid you not. We have 6 meter solid rendered fences and did worry that the air flow would be some what compromised. Apparently not. (we have the fences to keep out the snakes BUT, I will save that little story for another day!) These candles have no scent but it doesn't detract from their beauty or function. Do you like candles? I have just ordered one from Wallflower in lime and coconut. Mmmmmmm, doesn't that sound nice? There is something so relaxing about a candle. I do have a nice big bath I can relax in, candles around, wine in hand, bubbles galore....... Aaaah- nice huh? 
Are you good to yourselves friends? Do you surround yourselves with items that you love? Do you take time out to sit with a candle lit just.... sitting? Look around your home. Go to each room. Look in. Don't see the mess. Be more discerning. What do you like about the room? What items in the room do you l-o-v-e? What don't you really love? Think about why you love something that has caught your eye? Is it the shape, the colour, the style?  Girls, decide what you do like and why. There you go. That is your homework for the week. Take a pen and paper and decide what you like in your home. Go on. What harm can it do? Begin your journey to 'you'!!!

Ciao for now 

just Martha

The Weekend

Aaah, weekends! They come around so slowly and are gone so quickly. What have you got planned? Me? Family, friends, chores....... always the chores. Have a good one friends. No markets today as all the unused produce is still fresh from last week. Aaaahh, the joy!!! Looks like a great day for a walk on the beach. See you Monday...

Ciao for now

just Martha

Spring Fever

 Is it too early for Spring fever? I am finding the urge to clean. To tidy. To fix up. It is not Spring. It is barely half way through Winter. Hmmmmm. I wonder. Am I trying to get a head start on myself? Do you do that? Trick yourself in small ways knowing that you are tricking yourself yet always being tricked. What do I mean? Well, Spring cleaning for one. If I do it now then by the time Spring is here, I've finished!! Yay!! Time is another. Aaahhhh. The four letter word. Time. My bedside clock is set 8 minutes fast. I know. I know that I know. And yet, it never fails to get me out of bed! Go figure! AND, I get a little excited that I am a bit earlier than I thought so that means I can do something else like fill the dishwasher or tidy. Hhhhmmmm, not sure if anyone else does it but I do. So, maybe now I am wanting to clean to save myself doing it later? Maybe when Spring finally arrives I will be already ready!!!  "Haahaa" I will say, before I get started on Summer jobs. What is a Summer job I wonder? It really is too hot to do anything big. Togs, beach, sand, beach umbrella, swimming pool... But in order to be ready for that I have to have a tidy body which means doing classes at the gym and eating healthily. So, really that is a Winter job. You know, like a Caterpillar in a chrysalis! Emerge in Summer all beautiful. So, maybe in Winter I should be doing Spring and Summer jobs too!! So what is a job for Winter? I mean with it being dark really early what does one normally do? What should one do? Certainly not relax. That's for sure. Too busy keeping up with the other season chores...But, a little part of me thinks that if I do Spring clean now (have started by the way - couldn't help myself), will I need to do it again when Spring actually arrives?  What do you do? Anyhoo, look for me in Summer. I'll be at the beach..... looking trim and relaxed....


Ciao for now

just Martha

Comfort

Comfort. What makes you comfortable? What brings you comfort? Do you draw from childhood experiences that were calming - reminiscent of love and support? My Mum always warmed our pjs near the heater on cold rainy afternoons and had hot chocolates ready for us after our bath. To warm up, aaaaah, the joy. We were loved. We knew that. But this helped. It made memories. Nice, comfortable memories. If we were sick my Mum always changed the sheets on the bed and gave us clean pyjamas after our bath. "You will feel better" she would say. And we did. Always. Must be where I get my love of linen from. 

What about food? Do you have good memories of food that you ate on special occasions? I l-o-v-e-d my Dad's potato pancakes for breakfast made with leftover mashed potatoes.  He also makes the best chilli too and is still willing to part with a serve or two.... Thanks Dad. Chilli and brown bread with butter. Noice!!
What has brought this particular subject today? Well, I had the w-o-r-s-t pair of undies on yesterday!!! Grabbed in a rush from the bottom of the drawer. (Note to self: Put the washing away more regularly). I had worn them all day and they were definitely NOT bringing me comfort.  I can't wait to chuck them out! I guess with each tortured step reminding me of my dilemma, it prompted me to ponder what would constitute real comfort for me. 

What makes you go 'aaahhhh'? Is it tidying after a long day, the house is peaceful and quiet? Is it sitting down to a nice cup of coffee or glass of wine...? I think my 'aaahhh' factor is a shower. Hot as. Burning. I know it is not good to have such a high temperature but, aaaahhhhh. I try to have a quick shower but, alas, I can't. I l-o-v-e it. Tweenie girl is the same. As much as we remind her that there is a queue and could she please be quick. Nah. I know the  feeling. Some members of my family sit in the shower. Relaxing. (you know who you are). Not me I stand and deliver.

My blogs are all about making you aware of the simple things in life. To be aware and to consciously begin to enjoy the little things thus topping up our petrol tanks with things we love. How do we know what we like if we don't take time to think about it? Take time. Be more alert about you. You are the most important person in the family. You need to take joy in the everyday. To appreciate the little things. To fill the petrol tank.. Take comfort in the everyday people. Now, what brings you comfort. What fills the little holes in your heart...... Go for  it.....




Ciao for now 


just Martha

Safe Places

Aaaarrrggghhhhh!! Safe places. How I loathe them!! I have many a 'safe place' that are so safe that even I cannot find them!!! I am a creature of habit. I file diligently but for some reason, occasionally, I see fit to use a 'safe place'. And the item in question is never to be seen for a l-o-n-g time. Which is a real pity as it is usually something I need in a bit of a rush which was probably my reason for not using my logical method in the first place. I file. I file everything. Ohhh, I know the Silver Fox has issues with my system but hey, I have a system. He, on the other hand, waltzes in and says "where is that bit of paper I left near the phone last week? It is VERY important"!!! I contemplate husband-a-cide. (I know there is a real name for it but you know 'to kill ones husband'). I say 'if that bit of paper was so important maybe you should have put it in the office'. He usually says something like 'but I left it here. It is very important'. I restrain myself from stabbing him with the VSK (very sharp knife) that is in my hand. We have a huge office just waiting for important bits of paper like that!! The office was made for important bits of paper!! I tell him nicely. He usually just asks me where the bit of paper is. Honestly, what restraint I have. Poor Silver Fox. He does have issues with my filing. But hey, where would you file an instruction book for the printer? Would it go under 'p' for printer?, ' HP' for Hewlitt Packard'?, 'O' for office? I mean, really, 2 years down the track am I going to remember my 'p' for printer was bought at 'g' for the Good Guys? No. I think not. BUT, if I file it under 'i; for instructions and then have a file that specifically says  'Office', is that not logical?? Are you with me or not? So yes Silver Fox, you do need to look under 'i' for Instructions and then to the corresponding room the item would usually reside. Then waaaallaaa, your item found. Job done! I even have trays in the office especially for transient bits of paper! Especially for 'very important bits'.  Please, friends, tell me if that sounds logical or not. I think it does. So what precipitated this discussion, this angst? I was looking for the computer receipt to find the date of purchase so I could ring the computer people and find out why I cannot send emails from my mail system. So, I tried the logical route ('I' for instructions with subfolder of 'office') But, alas, no. I tried them all. I think I left it in the bookshelf near the cookbooks. (Safe place) but nix!! It is in such a safe place so I don't lose it...... Wish me luck...

Ciao for now

just Martha

Love: Outdoor Art

This is my entry. The art is meant for outdoors. It is set on aluminium with mixed media and is by an artist called David Ardley. David was a surfer and has a unique view of water. This piece is called "Transparent Water" and changes as you walk past. It moves as if it were water. We love it. Being on steel means that it could also safely hang outside and not be affected. Again our tastes are simple. We don't always agree, the Silver Fox and I, but we wait until we see something we do agree upon. This was the first hole in the wall of our house. The house was 2 years old. The rest of the art went up only 6 months ago after another 3 years. I no complain. But really have no understanding of this aversion to putting holes in walls. I do understand that it is not unique. I hear it is a common affliction. We lived in a Queenslander once and I was in my element. I have my own toolbox and with vjs, you can hammer anywhere! Plasterboard is a bit tricky.  You need special hooks or timber studs behind the plasterboard. Very noticeable if there is a big gaping hole. Oops! not happy Jan... bit hard to disguise. We are still looking for a piece in our stairs. We have a huge staircase which is begging for 'something'. We haven't found it yet. I found some fanastic twisted wood that would have looked great, but, alas, no agreement. Silver fox found a nice metal sculpture but, 'hello - rust!!!!' It would have turned into a health risk. So, looking, looking, looking.... Have a wonderful day...

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Hi Ho

I've just come back from the markets. 6.30am. On a Saturday. Now that is committment for you. Cold. Jumpers. job done by 8am. Why? Why am I trekking out after a busy week working? Well. Put it like this. On a Saturday night 2 weeks ago my son was still hungry so I offered him an apple I had bought at the markets that morning from the apple man who comes all the way from Stanthorpe. I figured if the Apple Man could be so committed, so could I in buying his wares. My Tweenie Son, my hard to impress, junk-food loving son, 'yummm''d and 'yummm'd his way through 1 apple. He moaned and groaned in delight and ate it to the core. Now. We all know that one doesn't get the same reaction from the local supermarket where the apples are soft and go 'off' 2 days after you buy them. THAT is why I go to the markets now.  For the sheer delight in the everyday. To appreciate the small stuff and make the everyday enjoyable. I also bought fresh linguini from the Pasta Lady and, let me tell, you, teamed with chilli tuna and spinach, the whole family 'yummed'. Dinner was eaten slowly and enjoyed. I also had fresh strawberries with cream. No sugar needed. People, they were heavenly! I don't mean nice, I mean heavenly. The whole family was silent, enjoying the dinner in delight. I haven't quite been able to persuade anyone to come with me yet but, that is okay. It is nice to wander with my trolley amongst like-minded folk, just for the experience. Today's little soiree cost $21 for the weeks worth of fruit and veges. Not bad me thinks, not bad.... Anyone for dinner? You are welcome any time....

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Love: Linen

I l-o-v-e linen. It doesn't have to be expensive linen. Just classy linen. I buy my linen on sale but wait patiently for something I love. Something that makes my heart sing.  It has to ignite my passion. I know. I know. It is only linen, but, here is my theory. If I surround myself with things I love, they make me a calmer, happier person. And that has to be good for everyone in my family. Right? Sarah taught me to take pleasure in the every day. So, now I do. And, beds are everyday are they not?

I have loved linen since I was little. I used to make the beds with my Mum. "Hospital corners....". "Yes Mum".  My favourite bit was folding down the top. Aaaah. Memories. I don't make beds with the Silver Fox because he won't tuck in properly and everything is wonky. "I bet your brick walls are straighter than this!" I say in  non-dulcet tones. He doesn't think it is a big deal as he will only jump in it soon anyway. That is so no the point. His side is the side closest to the door. (He has this weird East/West direction thing going and insists on sleeping near the door in case of danger....I digress) So now I make the bed by myself. And it is straight.

I used to share a bedroom with my sister and we would be in ecstasy every Winter when the rosebud flannelet sheets were first put on! We were so excited that we couldn't sleep that night!!! I still get excited jumping into bed (but not just for the reasons ah la Silver Fox) knowing that it brings me pleasure.

The picture is of my bed. I have a white cover. Look, I've done my time. I have finally achieved white that stays white. The Silver Fox has had many dirty careers over the years: Mechanic (oh please, can you imagine!!) landscaper (from oil to dirt).... now we can have stay relatively clean. Also, the Tweenies are out of the snot, wee, jam-on-face stage so it all works. Usually. At present I team blue, white and chocolate together. I also do have show pillows. Do you have show pillows? Pillows not for sleeping on? Pillows just for show? I do.  I stand firm. One has to have standards you know. But, at the end of the day, it is just a bed.

Ciao for now

just Martha

Love: Art

This is a painting done of me for Mother's Day when my son was just 5. Isn't it gorgeous? Look at the attention to detail!! He painted my red handbag and teamed it with a red necklace, shoes and earrings!! I think I am also carrying flowers too. AND I have beautiful pink lipstick. Oh, I was so beautiful in his 5 year old eyes. I have long eyelashes and a smile too. How observant was he? Now 5 years older he is still as observant. A little too observant at times "Mum, is that a new jumper?" "Shhh Son, no I've had it for a-g-e-s". Change the subject. Can't help myself. You all know what I mean... 

I wonder how he would paint me now?  I would probably only have a minor role in the painting next to a motorcycle or a Ben 10 character. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I am probably not the centre of his universe any more. Not like I was when he was 5.  As I should have been. Each age brings its own rewards. I take pleasure in the boy he was, and the man he is to be. I wonder what the next 5 hold? He is still cuddly and loves a snuggle. We call it "huggle". One of the baby terms that has stuck. Copyrighted by his sister originally I think. What were some of his words? "Wetty". When he was hot and sweaty he was always 'wetty'.  Oh, it is great to be a Mum. This is my favourite picture. You know, like one of the things I would grab in a fire. He had this unreal Kindy teacher who captured memories for us. Thank you Mrs Sutherland. We appreciate you more and more. Have a wonderful day and remember, appreciate the small stuff....

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Favourite Room: The Good Room

Now, here is my favourite room. Actually, it isn't really a room. It is a corner. But, I can't say "Let's go to the Good Corner" now can I? But, I can, and do, direct my friends to the "Good Room". It is finished quite simply. I don't really like fuss or "dust collectors" as my Mum would say. It has a white square of shaggy carpet. Luxurious for bare feet. Clean, bare feet. 

You can just see a corner of my artwork on the wall. It is a 1meter x 1.5meter photo canvas of my little family. It is a photo but is also the art. It is h-u-g-e! My gorgeous brother-in-law took it for us one Christmas. It is set on the beach. It is a candid shot of when we were tired and just getting a tad hysterical... with sand everywhere. That's the beach for you. It is a shot we can hopefully look at for years and not get embarrassed. We are dressed in white Bonds singlets and blue jeans. Classical. My taste.  I like it. The dog came in and barked at it. Not sure if he approves or that because it is so big he might have thought it was strangers in the house.

The couch is a nice blue leather one. Very daring for me back then but has proven to be a good choice. It is now about 10 years old and still in pretty good nick. The Good Room is a quiet corner for reading, relaxing, drinking tea and entertaining friends. You can see my Maxwell and Williams "Tea for one" ready for me and peppermint tea. Aaaahhhh, the joy! It is part of my kitchen/dining open plan area. Not a TV in sight. That is in the Media Room. Good planning that. Very good planning. Do you have a favourite room?
(This was taken before the tulips arrived. You should see them now! Heavenly).

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Loves

 Today is an opportunity to chat about 'loves'. This is the Silver Fox's main love (after the obvious of course!) His coffee machine. A well respected member of the family. This coffee machine was the best money ever spent. It is a Saeco Royal. It is the Silver Fox's best friend. It has been through 2 houses and a unit and never complains. Never falters. Never fails to deliver. Never gives a rotten cup. Ever. It even spent 10 months in the bathroom near the sink (very small unit!) Although it has spoilt us. It is very hard to buy a rotten coffee knowing a nice coffee is waiting at home.
Recently we found out how many coffees it has actually made !!! Nearly 7000!!! Not just consumed by the Silver Fox thank goodness but such a hard worker. I think it is 9 years old. This photo is taken in my kitchen with my salt and pepper coffee cups. You can just see a little piggy money box peeking out from behind. A gift from my honeymoon many years ago. Still intact!! Ahhhh, loves............

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Anticipation

 I am waiting. Patiently. For my flowers to open. I bought them at the markets on Saturday morning. So now I am waiting. They were so fresh that I couldn't even decide what colour they might be. I l-o-v-e tulips. They are my most favourite. Why? Hmmmm, let me think. I suppose tulips are independent. They arrange themselves. They are free thinkers. Unlike other cut flowers tulips continue to grow and move themselves in the vase how they please. Oh, they aren't being passively aggressive. Just....... they seem to know what they want. What are your favourite flowers? Have you given much thought to the reason? Do they hold special meaning to you? 

This is also my favourite little corner. It is part of my favourite room that I will show you in a later blog. I also bought this beautiful candle which is 'Ginger Lilly' from 'Wallflower'. No web link as yet but the designer is working on it. It is wrapped in vintage wall paper. The designer is so stylish..... 
Do you like waiting? What do you wait for with excited anticipation? I also l-o-v-e October. Why? Because the air is fresh and it means Christmas is coming AND I love Christmas. Don't get me wrong. I am not wishing my life away but I do appreciate the special times. So, for now, waiting patiently... Stay tuned.

 Ciao for now

just Martha


PS: ?yellow ?orange....

Catch Up

Ahhhh, the weekend!! Time to catch up on chores, friends and family. What are you doing? Do you make every minute count? I rang a neighbour from 2 houses ago last night. I said 'hello', she said 'hello' and we were off... children, family, houses, pets, hobbies....... we nattered for ages! Straight back into our closeness despite not seeing each other for months and months. Do you have friends like that? Friendships that have no strings attached? Friendships where the balance is equal? You know what I mean. Friendships can be hard work at times if the giving/receiving ratio is a bit unfair.
I am going to a baby shower today. I have made a whopping cheesecake because it is the mother-to-be's favourite. Plain lemon. I also made one for the Silver Fox because he l-o-v-e-s plain lemon cheesecake. Nothing fancy. Just plain lemon. I thought he would be more excited at my thoughtfulness! ('but you were making one anyway') He can have a whole cheesecake to himself. (no cholesterol issues here!) Usually I take one as dessert to friends and watch  his little face drop as the whole thing is demolished and he only got one slice. This one he only has to share with children and I bet they only get a small slice. He doesn't know nor care about calories/saturated fats/carbohydrate serves... lucky thing. Guilt-free. Bon appetit Silver Fox.
So baby shower today, family tonight and tomorrow....... there is the weekend gone. Note to self "squeeze in the washing as well"....

Ciao for now


just Martha

Simple abundance

It is cool (well 13 degrees is pretty chilly here in the tropics). It is cloudy and has been raining. I love it! It is great stay-in-bed-and-read weather. What would I read? My favourite book. It was given to me by a good friend and made my soul sing. That was 4 or 5 years ago and it still brings me joy.  It is a book to last 365 days, for every single day of the year, a book to leave and pick up. It is thick! It even has homework. It is fabulous. Why? It guides me on a tour of my life so I can find out who I am. I know, I know, I should know who I am BUT, after being wife/mother/daughter/worker/driver/friend/aunt..... (you get the picture) after putting others needs before my own for YEARS... do i know who I am, what I like, what ignites my passion or infuriates me? I think I do but this book takes me on a meandering journey of my life to remind me. All this is done by way of 1 - 1/2 page "essays" to read. Easy! So, it is not in the slightest bit a burden. Easy reading in the morning before rising or the night before sleep.

Embrace its gentle lessons, savor its sublime common sense, dare to live its passionate truth, and share its extraordinary and exhilarating gift with every women you encounter. The authentic self is the Soul made visible - Sarah Ban Breathnach: Simple Abundance - The Day Book of Comfort and Joy

How can anyone resist a blurb that promises so much? You might like to give it a try....

Love

just martha

FAMILY NIGHT

Wednesday night is Family Night! We decide on what to make together for dinner (something easy like nachos or home made pizza), gather to make dinner and then play a game together. Number 1 rule: no TV. None, not on with the sound down, not on with the sound barely audible. Not on. At all. Did I meet with resistance? You bet. Especially from the Silver Fox. He was giving me "the look". You know the one - his eyes were boring into the side of my head with a "I want to be supportive but, come on, this is really too much" sort of look. I stood firm.
Why? Because I am establishing family time, family routines, family memories. Because when we gather and are engaged in the moment, we all share our day, our thoughts, our worries. We do eat together every night with the TV off and have our own chores to do but I wanted more. I wanted to give my children security, establish good eating habits (well not with pizza or nachos but I needed some favourites to get started). Oh, the excuses that flooded in. Tweenie Girl thought we could turn the TV off between midnight and 7 am and that would count!! Lateral thinker that one! So, I soldiered on, I encouraged, buzzed around like a bee to honey and whaaalaaaa - success! They l-o-v-e it!!! All are very excited. We started off by playing a game called Mindtrap which was a little advanced for Tweenie Son and we have now moved on to Sequence which is like Connect Four but with cards. Sort of. When we tire of this I have a good Aussie jigsaw to whip out, then origami! They don't stand a chance!!!
I recently had the opportunity to hear Dr George Blair-West give a talk on obesity and weight loss. A most interesting and applicable discussion on childhood obesity, cheating and self-discipline. Take home message? Easy to do really. Engage in eating. Be mindful. Saviour every forkful. Taste the food. Enjoy the food. Don't eat with the TV on as people consume 22% more. There are no tastebuds in your tummy so taste the food in your mouth. Guaranteed you will be more satisfied and will eat less!! Give it a try. Do it for your family. What have you got to lose?

Love

just martha

Girlfriends

Girls need girlfriends. We do. Oh, I know husbands/boyfriends come in handy but girlfriends are for our souls. Once we get through being wife/mother/daughter/boss/employee/driver... we need to find ourselves, who we are, who we might be. Girlfriends define us. They fill in the little places in our very beings. They nuture us. They understand us.
Girls are not very good at taking time for ourselves. You know that is true. Once we are finished with our many roles there is not enough energy left ourselves. More surprisingly though, we don't think we deserve to have time to ourselves. But, this is the thing, if our energy is low, if we are losing our sense of self, it affects our every aspect of our lives. How can we nuture if we are running on empty?
Here is how:
1. Give yourself permission to take time for yourself. This is a guilt -free service. This is taking time to fill the petrol in our tanks because if we dont, guess what? We run out!
2. Spend 20 minutes a day doing something YOU want to. Coffee, magazine, reading... whatever you love.
3. Once per week follow your passion. Every week. Line dancing / crocheting/ gardening... whatever it is. Every week. It is good not to link this with food for obvious reasons.
4. Let people do something for you and accept with grace
5. Do something for someone else
6. Aim for excellence not perfection. It will take alot of pressure off and give a sense of achievement rather than failure...
My girlfriends? I am blessed to have wonderful friends. We do this and find it works fantastically. We meet once per month for a chat at 7.30pm on a designated day that is set aside specifically. We do the cooking, lunches, bathing etc... kiss our partners and boot scoot out for a natter. Oh, we tried the movies, coffee, dinner BUT really all we wanted to do was talk so now we talk. Alot. And share, laugh, cry, support.... And......... we love it. We are loved and supported and the world is a better place with girlfriends. Go on, give it a go.


Love

Just Martha

Debut

Hi there! I guess this is my debut although there seems to be a bit more to blogging than I thought!. My site will no doubt be transformed over the next few weeks when I get the hang of it all. Why am I blogging? Well, I firmly believe that women gain so much from sharing so here it goes.....