Things that have made me smile recently...

I've had many reasons to smile recently, but here are just a few!

Getting back into walking and walking 25km in the past four days! I've been needing to do this for my health (physical and mental) for a long time, and this week I decided none of my excuses were good enough for NOT walking, so I just needed to get on with it and do it!

My youngest's screeches and giggles of delight over being tickled!

The sound of my eldest complaining about people making a mess in the kitchen - because he's been doing the dishes for the last few days - I knew the day would eventually come when he'd feel my frustration!

My second youngest's rich imagination - sticking a googly eye to his forehead so he can be a three eyes alien!

Hot showevers on cold days! Amazing!

The way my boys can (sometimes) be so sweet with each other - especially on cold days during the holidays!

My eldest helping me erect some shelves!

Said shelves standing in my hallway! These made me smile a LOT! I had wanted EXACTLY these shelves (some colour, style and brand) for this space for the past couple of months but there was NO WAY I could afford to buy them. Then yesterday a friend put a message on Twitter that she was GIVING away these shelves to anyone who wanted them. I responded with an enthusiastic YES! before even considering how I'd haul them back to my place, but she was happy to bring them over the same day. PERFECT! Thanks Jen!

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The symbolism of elephants...

Just recently I've been seeing and noticing elephants everywhere!

A few weeks ago I saw the Samsung Elephant Ad, and watching that led me to watching a video with an elephant painting (seriously, you have to watch it to believe it!).

Then last night the boys told me they were having a free dress day at school to raise money for 'Mali the Elephant' - who turned out to be a paper maché statue which the children will paint and then show around the council before it comes back to the school to stand outside the performing arts room.

Then this morning I followed a link from Twitter to Toushka Lee's blog and read this post about an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka.

This morning the Grumpy Old Man did another driving test and unfortunately didn't pass. We've booked his next test and are looking forward to that now. About ten minutes before he walked in the door I saw this poster on Facebook...

At the time, I didn't know if the Grumpy Old Man had been successful or …

Alone... And Stuff...

Do you ever just need to be alone?

As the boys are growing up, we have more times when the house is quiet. The youngest will be asleep. One will be reading, one will be playing on his computer with headphones on, one will be painting and there is stillness.

Sometimes, even that is not enough.

Sometimes I crave being alone, with no possibility of someone suddenly realising they have to tell me something important or ask me a question or even just crash about in the kitchen.

Sometimes I crave S P A C E, lots and lots of space, being able to walk from room to room without encountering another soul.

This is how I felt when I woke up this morning, so instead of getting ready for work, I decided to stay home. Get up, but not go anywhere, no hear the sound of my own voice, or anyone else's.

I think this might just be part of getting older. After a lifetime of chasing after other people and trying not to be alone, my mind and body is full of thoughts, experiences, feelings, and busy-ness …

12 Things Happy People Do Differently - a self-reflection...

A few days ago a Facebook friend posted the above poster on her wall. I believe she got these points from this blog which she enjoys reading, and the bloggers on the Marc and Angel Hack Life blog derived their discussion of these points from this book, available on Amazon - you're welcome! I have to admit, I haven't read the blog or the book I've just mentioned but wanted my readers to have access to the sources of the poster for their own reflective purposes.
The New Year will be upon us in but a few days and I thought this a great opportunity to do a little personal assessment on how I'm playing the happy game. I'm often not very happy at all - I don't need to be happy all the time, let me just say that up front - I personally believe that life is a balancing act and those who seek euphoria often will also often feel desolation because in all things there must be balance. The great riches of the few on this planet come at the personal cost of the many as is …

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