Special Powers...

Do you have a special power? Wonder Woman had her magic lasso to make her assailants tell the truth. (I could use one of those...) There were many super heroes: Superman, Batman... (why was there never a Super Woman? Hello? I think it is a conspiracy...)  all with their own special tricks. What is your secret power? Mine is........'the look'!! I can melt steel at 2 meters with my look!! You know, 'the look'. It my family it has been affectionately christened as 'the hairy eyeball' Now do you know what I am referring to? Best secret weapon a Mother can have. No noise, no ugly scenes, no politically incorrect displays of violence. The 'look' does it all in a calm way, with the underlying promise of repercussions....  Now, no one in my family is shielded from receiving a 'look', they get one if they deserve it. Yes folks, even the Silver Fox is not immune. He gets 'the look', more often than he should. It works. He just sighs and stops whatever he is doing. Sometimes he decides I am being unfair and starts to give me a look (imagine!) Sometimes an argument is what we need but usually he succumbs, like a lamb. Oh, I'm not power hungry Bloggers. I have been entrusted with this special power to be used for good and never evil. I take it very seriously. I only use it when I absolutely have to!! I am a strict Mum. I care if fingers are used in dinners. I care if manners are forgotten. There is nothing worse than seeing an adult unable to use cutlery correctly. (I'm being dramatic - of course there are worse things but you know what I mean. To me it means that no one cared enough about them to instill this simple skill) In my family if you won't use your manners at the dinner table you get sent to the garage to eat. Yep, it's true. Ask my children. They get a few 'looks', some verbal reminders and then - whoooshka they are off to the garage.  I digress...

Apparently, according to reliable sources, I have different 'looks' for different occasions. I have looks to 'be quiet', looks to 'cut it out', looks that say 'wait until I get you alone'......... I even have looks that say 'Not happy Jan'..... When we were on holiday in Fiji I apparently had a look that said 'don't eat that or you will get food poisoning' followed by a look that said 'don't say I didn't warn you....'.  (just for the record the Silver fox did have gastro..... see, I was right!!) When Miss Tweenie was getting Christened LJ (sister) was helping me make salads. She got the 'look' because she was cutting the onion way too thick for the potato salad. She said, and I quote, 'I can feel your eyes boring into the side of my head.." Too true, I was. She did, however, succumb to my special power. She didn't stand a chance. (I was cooking a hot meal for 50 people with a 6 week old - hello!! What was I thinking?I was so stressed I think she got off lightly after all I did have a knife in my hand!!....) 

So fellow Bloggers, think long and think hard about your special power. I know it is there because we are all Super Women, every day in every way....

Ciao for now 


just Martha

Favourite Lamp

Bedside Lamp

 I have two of these delightful lamps on our bedside tables. The tables are quite low but the lamps have lasted a while now without being knocked. They are ceramic and embossed with flowers. I love them. They are heavenly. I bought them in a local shop where the owner had signs on everything saying 'don't touch', 'if you break it consider it sold', 'ask for help'.... Pity. It had some beautiful things in it but the karma was all wrong. I know the general public can be a bit thoughtless and careless at times. But there they were. Waiting for me to rescue them. Waiting to be used. 
I know I have a bit of a 'white' thing happening but this is my third house (plus numerous units) and I have done the lollypop colours and then the Mediterranean colours and this time began with a white palette to add colours into. To be more timeless. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate other people's style and taste but this time I opted for a simple base. We live at the beach so the pale floors, pale blues and white walls are timeless against a beachy lifestyle. 

What style do you have? What are your favourite pieces? Growing up we had a sunny yellow kitchen with yellow Formica bench tops. Look, it was in the 70s. The neighbour had a cobalt blue kitchen whilst another neighbour had a 'mission brown' love affair. I remember all these things because as tastes changes, these didn't. Too expensive to upgrade the kitchen every five minutes. So, I am starting off basic and upgrading the accessories. To suit. What I haven't done, which can be tempting, is gone beige. Gross. No creams here except for the lounge in the Media room but I think that was because the choices were black, red or beige and even though red would have made a statement, it wasn't in line with my timeless palette. The lounge in my 'Good Room' is blue and I thought at the time it was a very bold move. I am sure there are many growing-up-with-beige stories out there too. Not me. Yellow. Even our lino was bright , sunny....yellow. Nice at the time I am sure but not for long. So, these are my lamps. The embossing gives them texture and makes the light quite beautiful....




Ciao for now




just Martha

Talking to You...

weheartit

This message came by way of email to me. I knew when I saw it I just had to pass it on.....

May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Ciao for now


just Martha

Weekend

What does the weekend hold for you? Me? I've been to the markets and have some beautiful poppies to watch opening. I am also getting my hair done because apparently my hair is....'4 colours Mum, black, red, brown and grey'...... Thank you Master Tweenie, your observations are so refreshing!!!

Ciao for now 

just Martha

just Drew...

Drew Barrymore is another actress I admire. She has pulled herself out of probable oblivion by the bootstraps to be the person she is today. It could have all turned out very differently. Good on her. So, here is a tribute to Drew...

Young and innocent. If only she knew what troubles lay ahead

Tomboy

Check out those lips!

My favourite

Images here

Need I say any more?... except 'well done Drew'



Ciao for now


just Martha

More Miss Tweenie Art

 In light of Miss Tweenie's recent artistic talents on the footpath, I thought I would include a couple of her other works. These are some of my favourite works of art from Miss T (taken on the floor!)  Clever girl!!!

Ciao for now

just Martha

Bored + Chalk = Happy

Not a bad way to spend a few hours.... Go Miss Tweenie!!! I l-o-v-e the shading and blending on the  last butterfly. I wonder if this is a prediction for a future career maybe?.....

Ciao for now




just Martha

Gratitude Galore

weheartit

Are you a grateful person by nature? Do you see the glass half full? Do you easily take offense and feel slighted by someone's reaction or do you shrug it off?  I met a lady the other day with a face like fizz. She has a beautiful 4 month old. I asked her if she was enjoying motherhood and she said that it would be better if her baby slept during the day. Her baby sleeps all night. I boot-scooted her out of my office. I felt an urge to smack her. She needed a smack. Her baby is p-e-r-f-e-c-t. She needs to be grateful for what she has, not what she doesn't have. Look, I don't judge... much. Maybe she was having a bad day. I have had quite a bit of contact with her during her pregnancy and found her the same but hoped it was just stress related. Nope. She's crabby. 

I kept my thoughts to myself. But, I had just heard that a past neighbour of mine's daughter was in hospital with a virus, in intensive care, her heart enlarged. Perhaps a transplant is her only hope. She is nearly 10. We had 4 children in the street born in the same year and got together regularly for play-dates, mummy-dinners etc. Good fun. She has had a few challenges in life, little Erin, but nothing like this. Finger...toes...everything crossed that it will turn out okay. Life can change so quickly.  I teach my children to focus on what they have rather than what they don't have.  Life long lesson that really. So, I got to thinking about being grateful and whether people generally look on the bright side of life. What do you do? Are you even aware of how you are in the everyday? Have a think about it. What are you grateful for? Me, I'm a glass half full type of girl really. Not much ruffles my feathers or flusters me. It could always be worse.

I am grateful for:

• The good health of those around me
• That I have a fabulous life partner and gorgeous h-e-a-l-t-h-y children
• That I can do daily chores
• That I have a great job which fits in with my family
• That I have wonderful friends 
• That I can drive and be independent

Let me know what you are grateful for. No doubt there is a long list...

 
Ciao for now




just Martha

PS: Good luck little Erin

Stepping Forward...!!

gettyimages

 Uh-Ohhhh!!!  I'm in trouble. Well, sort of..... Miss Tweenie cleaned her room from top to bottom as you might know from a previous post. Well, she put stuff down the laundry shute to be washed. So far, so good. Except, that when I went to wash on the weekend, it was full of dolly clothes. Now usually I find all sorts of things down the shute to be washed because I think it is usually easier to chuck it down and forget about it: cars, belts, shoes.... This was quite appropriate. But, this is an end of an era, on quite a few levels. My gorgeous girl will no longer be playing with dolls. Oh, she will when we have little visitors, but not as part of her regular day to day happening. Look, I knew to expect it, but it just seems the other day she was lugging around 'Emily' (Teddy bear we bought her when she was 5 and we sent her to LJ's in Sydney for a long weekend. By herself. What were we thinking!! She was 5!!). And including Emily in the goings-on. 'Mum, Emily would like tea too', 'Mum, did you ask Emily if she wanted to go to bed, because she says she doesn't'... you get the picture.... How will I cope? No doubt Teenage-hood will keep me on my toes...

As I was washing the clothes I realized that a lot of them were hand-knitted by my Mother for me when I was little. I gave them to Miss T when she was small. I kept them. I still have my favourite doll 'Alison Elizabeth' up in the cupboard. My discerning Miss T accepted the clothes but rejected my doll because she was 'funny looking'. How rude! (I thought that was the most beautiful name in the world when I was 5). But I admit she is not the soft cuddly dolly of today. My Mother had knitted singlets, booties, a kilt with a ruffled singlet and jacket, blankets, bonnets.... All finely knitted, beautiful smooth and fancy stitches. Knitted with love. Played with for nearly 40 years on and off. There will be no more knitting. Not from my heavenly Mother who is living more and more in the twilight.

So, dear bloggers, the end of an era.... Miss T will be leaving her young self behind as she enters into the new stage of being a teenager. I am a magpie so I have washed the clothes and will keep them for another little person. As a tribute to the love my Mother showered upon her children. I will say 'your great grandmother knitted those'..... But, I might ditch Alison Elizabeth because goodness knows what the next generation will think of her, although by then she might be an antique......

Ciao for now


just Martha

just........Cameron

 I love Cameron. I just, well, sort of, appreciate her. Her talent. Her beauty. Her obviously wonderful personality. She seems like a really nice person doesn't she? I think I like her more for being so natural.  So, here is a tribute to Cameron... 

Images

Need I say any more?  

Ciao for now 


just Martha

Bike-Push...

gettyimages

  Well, it started off okay. Prior to departure 1 flat front tyre. New inner tube on hand and some elbow grease from the Silver Fox and all g-o-o-d. Off we went, family bike ride with an over-eager Master T and a very under-eager Miss T. Riding along on my pushbike honey when............ pffsssttt........... flat rear tyre for me!!!! Sooooooooooo, needed to push at a run / walk / run pace for 4 kms. No worries!!!Easy. Last time I had a flat tyre I was taking Master T to a soccer game so we really needed to be on time. Only problem was we were 8 kms from the field!!! That was a bit of a challenge let me tell you. In fact, I don't have a great record with bikes. I have had 4 flat tyres and 1 chain fall off!!! So, now we might squeeze in a nice afternoon on the couch to relax. "Meet the Fockers" anyone....

Ciao for now


just Martha

Weekend

What are you doing this weekend? We are having a quiet one - bookwork for me, voting, bike ride, picnic with the family, catching up with new friends....

Ciao for now


just Martha

Thrive - Not Survive

A dear friend and I were talking the other day about emotional health and how to cope with life in general. Do you cope with the unexpected? Hard to know really until it comes along... I recently went to a talk by a wonderful lady named Christine Coop who is an Occupational therapist and perhaps the most inspiring lady I have e-v-e-r met!!! E-V-E-R. Get the picture. Christine talked and talked and talked. I hung on her every word. She made so much sense......

Christine had many tips on how to thrive not just survive. She talked about burnout but her message was that we don't need to do less in our lives, just put back in what we take out. Makes sense right? Women in particular are very bad at this. You know we are. Put your hands up if, for example, when you want to go out for dinner, first you cook dinner for the family, makes lunches for the next day, put washing on, fold down the beds, have already done the shopping, bathed the kids and puts kids to bed first before getting out the door........... Okay, put your hands down. I'm talking to you. She likened personal energy to filling up a car. Would you drive and drive and drive until you ran out of petrol and sat by the side of the road stranded? No. You would plan your trip and fill up prior or during when getting low. I think, at times, we are kinder to our cars than we are to us. Do you service your car? Do you put new tyres on it? Yes? Now, here are some of Christine's tips.  The ones I can remember....

Energize you life by:

• Do at least one thing you like/love to do. No matter what
• Make your life beautiful everyday. Appreciate and take pleasure in all the senses
• Celebrate excellence, not perfection. Do the best you can in the circumstances
• Celebrate small joys -optimists do better than pessimists
• Allow others to give to you. Receive with joy
• Spend 20minutes per day doing something you feel like doing
• Make a difference. Give to others
• Negotiate respect from others around you

Minimize the drains in your life:

• Stop or trade things in your life you don't like doing
• Celebrate mistakes as part of learning
• Listen to the 'had enough' speak. Your tank is empty
• Negotiate mutual give and take in relationships
• Stop 'should-ing' on yourself. You don't feel guilty about re-fuelling your car do you? Give yourself permission to energize

What do you think? Sarah ban Breathnach and Christine have similar ideas about knowing yourself and  being kind to yourself. If your energy levels are high and a crisis comes, your coping will be much better. If you dip into depression or anxiety, it takes a long time to get out so how about you don't get there in the first place? 

So friends fill up your petrol tanks guilt-free. 1.Do something once per week you really enjoy(salsa, yoga, photograhy classes...) 2. Look at your friends. Does someone take, take, take? Are they hard work? Do you brace yourself when seeing them? If so, re-evaluate the effect of the contribution they make in your life. 3. Strive for excellence. Do the best you can. It doesn't have to be perfect. Take the pressure off yourself. 4. Only let people treat you how you want to be treated. 5. Spend 20 minutes per day doing what you want to do. It doesn't need to cost money: sit in the sun, drink tea in your favourite corner....

Okay folks. You have homework. Pick 2 of the above points and do them for the next week. There will be a test at the end!! (Only joking but the latent teacher in me always wanted to say that!) Tell me how you went.


Ciao for now


just Martha

Tweenie Mission

Master Tweenie's choice!

Miss Tweenie's choice. Both via Modular Furniture...

Miss and Master Tweenie are being determined. Focused. Driven. As they should and would. They have a mission. They are working together... They a-r-e 10 and 12. They have decided they are growing out of their beds and I need to buy them a new one each. So off to the bed shop they went. Master Tweenie thought a nice bunk bed with a desk underneath was just the ticket. Miss Tweenie - a nice q-u-e-e-n sized bed with new linen. Of course!! Hmmmm. Not sure where I fit in to this master plan. They have chosen the beds from Modular Furniture and have begun plotting and scheming.... I tried to point out that I have already supplied them with not one but two beds in their short lives (well 3 if you count the bassinet, cot and current bed!) and that it was usual when you started to work to buy your own bed and take it with you when you move out. In a few years. Maybe they are forward planners? I said I would be happy to discuss it when they had saved a good portion of the money needed for this important investment. So, they thought about this. And thought. And thought!!!! What happened next?....

When they came home from shopping (without the desired beds), Miss Tweenie went and cleaned her room in an attempt to sort out the stuff she could sell and thus make some money. She was gone the whole afternoon. There was banging and clunking. The vacuum cleaner was going and the window cleaner disappeared upstairs. Then Master Tweenie was gone. Upstairs. Clunk, bang, vacuum, dust. Downstairs for some Ventolin and garbage bags, upstairs for more cleaning...... Well. Goodness me. Did I dare to venture upstairs for a look? Miss Tweenie's room was sorted. Piles for the rubbish, to sell, to give away, clothes to hand down to friends.... My what an organized child she is. Miss Tweenie had cajouled her brother into sorting out his room. The furniture was totally moved - bed in a different position, you could actually see the top of the desk.... (She has my moving- furniture gene!!! I'm so proud!!), piles of stuff for selling, chucking out, giving away. Even both cupboards were clean. It was not a case of chucking everything in there out of sight. Spotless. Floor vacuumed, windows cleaned (she doesn't get that from me must be a throwback gene from her Grandmother), skirtings dusted.... W-O-W!!!! I was so amazed at the professionalism. Great job Tweenies. The best thing was that I could take those chores off M-Y to-do list. AND, they didn't even ask for money. Well friends, I was so impressed I paid Miss T $20 then and there. 'Good job' I said. She was thrilled!! I then found Master T and said that if he finished the few bits and bobs in his room I would pay him $10 (Well, his sister did do most of his as well as hers...). He said 'no'. He wanted more. '$30' should do!!!!! Well, look out world. I think we have a potential 'Super Model' on out hands...........

Ciao for now


just Martha

Love-Nots

What am I not fond of? What makes by brow wrinkle with 'the look' as my children call it? Here are my Love -Nots:

My pegs getting wet. It is just the way I am!!

Wet towels on the floor. Left overs from my childhood

Frizzy hair!!! Say not more!!

Sitting on a public toilet seat that is warm from the last bottom that sat on it. Now you know!!!

Give me a nice spider any day!!

Tastes like soap to me!!! Sad but true

Ciao for now

just Martha

Did You Know?

Getty Images

 You probably all know this but I just went into my profile and noticed that my interests, location, reads etc were highlighted. So I clicked on them and found bloggers with the same information, bloggers who live near me, bloggers who have the interests. Go figure? You know what this means? Now I will n-e-v-e-r get off the computer and I still haven't sent in the tax stuff!!! Now, if only I could work out how to do the posts with the 'you might also like this' link at the bottom to view previous posts...... Anyone?

Ciao for now

just Martha

Loves: Media

Eastern wall with King Furniture couch

Media Room with decals

 We have some modern 'art' in our Media Room. This is the place designated for the TV. It was my master plan in building to only have the TV here so when we entertain and the children watch a movie, all are happy. They can hear the TV and we can hear the guests. AND, we can even play music from the Media Room that play to the designated speakers in different rooms! So we can set the mood for guests whilst all are happy and the kids don't need to listen to 'our' music. Not my idea that bit but bravo to the Silver Fox as it works very well. We can even have piped music in the shower! Aaaah, the joy of it all. The joy of planning and building. We have these modern decals in our Media Room. We did want a nice modern aboriginal painting but decided in the meantime to settle for these square decals in silver, chocolate and cardinal red. We got them from Dali Decals at a cost of $80A. Pretty good value for art we thought until we find what we want. So, one night we peeled them off the backing and sort of 'went for it'... Very liberating really, having faith in your own design. Not for everyone I know but removable and a bit of fun whilst giving the 'wow' factor. Nicely tying in our King Furniture lounge suite. I can move the lounge around and rearrange a few bits to turn it into a double bed!!! I love it. My style. Moving things around. "Change is as good as a holiday". The Silver Fox h-a-t-e-s moving furniture and will often refuse point blank not to be negotiated. Moved too much in his day I gather. But, what I can do with an old towel and a bit of elbow grease!!!! I can totally rearrange a room: beds, bookcases, chest of drawers, lounges.... It is one of my talents. Secret talents. When the Silver Fox asks me how I did it (after carefully inspecting the timber floor for scratches of which there is none!) I just smile. After all it is a s-e-c-r-e-t talent!!!......

Ciao for now




just Martha

Home Secrets - Dishwasher

 Oh, I forgot that I had another 'Home Secret'. You know, things in your house that don't quite work the way they should but you know so it doesn't really matter? Well, my dishwasher is one of those. The door is broken and has been since installation some......... um........... 5 years ago. Go figure! How time flies!!! Well, you see, what happens is if you open the door, it falls to the ground with a really loud ............thwack-y sort of noise as the handle hits the wooden floor thus making contact and resulting in a large...... dent. Great. Oh, Silver Fox has brought out the FBH (f'n big hammer!) on more than one occasion to fix the door but, alas, the problem continues. It does cause lots of problems. Lots. Mainly for me. And my dishes. Me and the dishes. Again it is a situation that has just.... sort of....... persisted. We have 'made do' as you do. But, here is the thing, apart from the door slamming into the polished floor, it also sits at an unfortunate angle. Unfortunate because, if you are unsuspecting, the trolley (usually full of clean dishes) careens out of control, down the door and onto the floor. C-R-A-S-H!!!!! Broken dishes everywhere. You see the problem don't you? My dishes. M-y d-i-s-h-e-s. Yes bloggers, I have again done my time with unmatched crockery. Hand me downs (nice yellow stoneware from my Mum's nice yellow kitchen), cast offs, generally yucky ones. Until this house. I bought 12 gorgeous settings of Maxwell and Williams Basic Dinner Set (Cosmopolitan I think?). I am too afraid to count the survivors. Let me show you some photos:

Said dishwasher

You see the problem don't you?

 Okay, okay. Again it is a house secret so we make do. We remember and gently lower the door to the ground. Always. And then we gently pull out the trolley and gently remove the dishes. It works most of the time. Well, yes, most of the time.

BUT. Now here is the thing. Some time ago, which will be revealed later, Silver Fox bought a new dishwasher. Yes he did. Because he couldn't fix this one AND it was making him cross. So, next to the old dishwasher the new one sat. Waiting to be put in. And sat. And sat. And. Sat. Next to the old one. Right next to it. You get the picture. Now, it was becoming a fixture. It was very good at pretending to be another bench and having stuff piled high on it. Not in its usual job description mind you. Today was the day it finally went in. Hooray!!!!! It is a great day. I even took a photo!!! Here it is:

It took 25 minutes people. 25 minutes to put in!!

There was paperwork with the packaging. I asked Silver Fox how long he thought it had been sitting there. Waiting. He said "Hhhmmmm, 6 months maybe". Not even close. Try 11 months. 11 months. Really.... Can anyone else beat that?

Ciao for now


just Martha