Life is Busy

Looking after the lovely Isla (and at twenty months she is full of beans) on Tuesday's until Cheryl and Gus (the other grandparents) get back from a holiday to their homeland of Scotland.  I am so enjoying my time with her.  However, yesterday wasn't one of the good days, poor little thing was so sick, high temperature and just quite miserable.  Mum and Dad have been trying to get her to stop using her dummy but I had to go and buy her one as she was just so restless, she also conned me into buying her 'Miss Pinky' her new teddy bear.

Consequently I have picked up Isla's bug and am not well at all, headache, chesty, itchy eyes, not nice at all.

I am pleased to say that my 'tiny retirement home' build has now started.  The earthworks have been done today and I should have a slab by next week if the weather holds up.  So crossing all fingers and toes.  

It's so exciting now that it has finally started!  I also received the star rating today and it is rated at 7.5 stars which is fantastic.  Would like to try to get to 8 but I don't know whether this is achievable, will have to wait and see.

I will put up some pics at the weekend so if you like you can follow the build.

Carolyn

Two years after I finished with my blog which must have been the shortest blog in history, I have decided to start it up again.  This time I intend to keep it ticking along with at least a post a week to keep you all up to date with the happenings or not in my life.

First of all is the long awaited build of my little retirement home which I am so excited about.  I designed the home using a program called "Chief Architect".   It is a very basic little home that will suit my requirements as I move forward to retirement in about eight years time.  Hopefully it will able to achieve the 7.5 star rating which is far above the 6 star which new homes must meet in Tasmania.  Unfortunately you have to spend a lot more than what I have to achieve the bigger figures.

I visited the Designers' Show at Princes Wharf today and met up with Sarah B. from Molly's Maison who first inspired me to start a blog those few years ago when I first read her blog.  Pop on over to her blog as she is a clever lady.

Well that's it for the first post, I'm off now to iron my clothes for work tomorrow!

Best wishes,

Carolyn

Anzac Day Service

I took my grandson to the dawn Anzac Service this morning, held at 6am at the Hobart Cenotaph.  It was a chilly morning with the sharp breeze rolling off the Derwent River.  Hundreds of people attended, many with small children like Zachary ensuring that the memory of those brave soldiers’ lives on in the minds of Australians into the future. 

A man nearby quietly sobbed as the “Ode of Remembrance” was spoken, his friend comforted him.  After the service I noticed him laying a wreath and his friends quietly surrounding him to show their support.  The ode is taken from the poem, “For the Fallen” was written by Laurence Binyon whilst sitting on the cliffs of Gallipoli in 1914.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

“Lest we Forget”

Straight after the “Last Post” is played by a lone bugler followed by a minutes’ silence which for me is the most moving part of the Service.

Zach loves going to the service and we chatted about the meaning and ceremony of it all afterwards.

  Carolyn

Back....finally

Hi for all those who follow my blog.

Well it has been a pretty ordinary three months for me health wise but I am now back at work full time and enjoying work for the first time in a long time.

Over the last few months I have spent heaps of time with my brother and his family and this has been the most enjoyable part of this period.   I have reconnected with loved ones who I had lost touch with and this has enlivened my spirit for the better.

I need to make a promise to myself that I will do my blog on a regular basis from now on so I can do what was intended in the first place, to tell the world all about me and my life.

Hope you are all having a safe and happy Easter break.

Carolyn

Carolyn

Happy Australia Day

My Country

By Dorothea Mackellar (1885 – 1968)

The love of field and coppice,

Of green and shaded lanes.

Of ordered woods and gardens

Is running in your veins,

Strong love of grey-blue distance

Brown streams and soft dim skies

I know but cannot share it,

My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of draughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror –

The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest

All tragic to the moon,

The sapphire-misted mountains,

The hot gold hush of noon.

Green tangle of  the brushes,

Where lithe lianas coil,

And orchids deck the tree-tops

And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!

Her pitiless blue sky,

When sick at heart, around us,

We see the cattle die-

But then the grey clouds gather,

And we can bless again

The drumming of an army,

The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!

Land of the Rainbow Gold,

For flood and fire and famine,

She pays us back threefold-

Over the thirsty paddocks,

Watch, after many days,

The filmy veil of greenness

That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,

A wilful, lavish land-

All you who have not loved her,

You will not understand-

Though earth holds many splendours,

Wherever I may die,

I know to what brown country

My homing thoughts will fly.

I learnt this poem in primary school and it just says so much of how I feel about Australia.

Carolyn

Allnighter!

Friday night, a couple of weeks ago I spent a delightful night with my dear cousin Jill.  Another cousin had sent Jill some family history stuff and invited me over to look at it.  Well we spent all night chatting about everything from family to house decor and history.  It was wonderful.  The night past so quickly and before we knew it, it was 8 o’clock in the morning.  I came home and slept most of the day but it was an evening well spent.

Carolyn

Lotto Win

I seem to be very blessed lately, I have just won on the Lotto, only a small amount but enough until DHHS gets it’s pay system going properly and pays me.  So again I thank whoever is watching over me.

Carolyn

Maybe a Career Change!!!!

I have recently purchased an old 1920’s kitchen cabinet and just about to start stripping back the old paint and rebirth it.  Hopefully you will see me do a lot of this over the next few months.  Firstly these are my furniture pieces for my house but eventually I want to do this as a hobby and sell the pieces. 

I don’t know whether there is a market for this sort of stuff in Southern Tasmania but I can only give it a go and see where it takes me.

I forgot to say too, the camera wasn’t broken after all; I had the batteries in the wrong way, so I will put a picture up of the cabinet as is know and then add some as I go.

Carolyn

Christmas Blessings

I had a great Christmas day with my family.

I rang my nephew Frank first thing to wish him and the family a happy day.  I will be going down later in the week for a visit.

Firstly lunch with Jules, Mick & Zac which was delightful, great conversation, Zac being Zac, and Jules providing a lovely meal.

Received Anh Doh’s autobiography and have read already, very inspiring and sheds new light on the life of boat people and the desperation that drives them to make a new life for themselves.    

Spent the evening with my brother Frank and his family and I smiled all through the night.  Everyone commenting on how much I am like my mother, although I smile more.  Felt some tinge of regret because I have missed out on so much and regrets also for Frank and Katherine missing out too.  My great niece Grace has captured my heart, she is such a gorgeous girl and has very strong opinions.  I cannot wait to spend more time with them.

Just some advice: Love your family with all your heart and don’t allow stubbornness to get in the way of your relationships.  That’s all I have to say.

I spoke with my daughter Michelle and her three year old Dylan on the phone.  The boys love the kitchen and utensils I gave them for Christmas and from what Shell tells me they are the favourite gift this year.

Carolyn

Annoying Things and Some Good Happenings

It has been three weeks since my last post and I am disappointed with myself.  Firstly the camera batteries went dead, then I installed the new ones and the camera is now officially dead.  I need photos to liven up my blog so will go searching for some inspiration on the web tomorrow.

I have been off work sick since late October and so starting to feel glum.  Now I know I had to lift myself so took my ten year old grandson for a walk around the Hobart Botanic Gardens.  What a great time we had!  Zac found a pine cone which he picked up and took home with him as a reminder of our lovely day.

On Tuesday I had to pick up an antique picture frame from the courier and when walking from the building rolled my left ankle.  So now I have aching thighs from my walk and a sore ankle and foot!

The good news is that I have made up with my brother who I have been estranged from for eight years.  We had a lovely four hours talking over life and both of us have decided to move on from the hurt and enjoy one another’s company again. It was lovely to get a hug from my big brother.  I love him so much and am so glad that we talked like we always did.  I am going to his place for Christmas tea and so looking forward to meeting his three grandchildren who were born whilst we were estranged.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  Please stay safe!

Carolyn