Letting go....

My gorgeous girl leaves next week to fly away with her man Tommy to go and live in Europe for a few years...I will really miss her...she and I are wonderful friends and that makes me really happy and grateful but of course sad too as I'm not sure when I will see her again. Don and I plan to go over and visit them in Holland next year so hopefully that will come about. Trudes is coming up here for a few days before she goes and we will go to Brissie for their farewell party on the weekend...so its not happening quite yet. I do get teary every now and then though and need to remind myself of what a good thing they are doing for themselves and what a great adventure they are about to embark upon...

I have been following lots of art blogs lately finding so much to inspire me with my art. I was really brave this week and entered a piece in an exhibition at a small and beautiful art gallery where I took a few classes recently. It is called Rosebed St Gallery in Eudlo and the link to their website is on my favourites list of blogs here. I had decided that I would not pre-judge my piece but had to enter it as I've never done this before. So I sent it off on Monday then realized that I was actually a day late but they accepted it anyway...all the artists will be notified next week of acceptance or not. For me it is the fact that I'm having a go and if it is accepted that will be another matter. I don't expect anything. The photo above is a detail...I made 2 hearts of barbed wire..rusted..with a recycled fabric vine and embroidered details and ribbon roses wrapping them...the theme was 'Resilience' and mine was surrounding the inner strength of the human heart and nature...Don helped me with the name which is 'Wounded Heart'.

This is a photo Trudy took in our place a few months ago...a couple of old jars with flowers sitting on my red cedar table...which I will be selling hopefully soon...I have decided my furniture needs to go as storing it while we are in Canada doesn't make much sense..I have let go of these things emotionally now and know it is a good thing. And Canada is full of cute old furniture which I am going to buy...not all of it maybe but something!!

Magical Monday...my good life..

Typical Aussie dam...smallish manmade...this was a very quiet peaceful spot at the nursery

Sandra laughing as usual...she finds life funny....

Leonie contemplating a blade of grass...we had a perfect sunny afternoon...

Looking very ladylike...

And us in the restaurant...Sandra not wanting this photo...she gave in gracefully though...

I spent Sunday at the Suitcase Rummage sale again with Trudes in Brisbane. It was her last one before she heads off overseas to travel and live for a while so she had lots of clothing and books and things to get rid of. It was a big market this time in terms of stallholders but we were able to grab a good spot on one of the benches which we think is better than down on the ground...it seems to make it easier for people to go through everything and is a little bit more inviting when they don't have to be bending down to ground level. Trudy sold at least half of what she took so that was excellent...it was another interesting market day with all the shopping crowd...I love it as the fashions are so out there...not really fashions as such more peoples' individuality coming out which I enjoy a lot more.

Monday I travelled home by train which I also love...the Sunshine Coast part of the trip is through the bush and past pineapple farms and some of the Glasshouse Mountains - gorgeous. Don picked me up and we headed home for a while before I took off again to Yandina, about 20 minutes north by car. I was meeting Leonie and Sandra for lunch at Fairhill Nursery, out in the country at the end of a little winding road.

The nursery itself is huge and full of birds singing in the trees. I was early so chatted to the nursery man about what a beautiful place it was to work in and he told me that the birds come down each afternoon and swim and wash in the big bird bath out in the centre of the nursery. They will build their nests in some of the bigger plants necessitating signs to let customers know that for a while those plants are not for sale.

After lunch we walked through the gardens and around the dam to sit on a bench and lie in the sun for an hour or so. Lots of talking happened of course and laughter too.

Sandra hates having her photo taken so the formal photo of the 3 of us has her with eyes closed...but I was able to snap a couple of cute pics of her later. Leonie thinks photos are overrated so just ignored me I think...at least she smiled for the camera...

My life is still pretty good.

Canada Day

Well a few people here knew about Canada Day, especially after we told them! We didn't have any fireworks here just a quiet nite with a friend over for dinner but we thought about you Canada...xoxo

Some pics from our outings..

Trudes blowing out her candles...the photographer didn't get any from the front...who was that Tom? Scenes from the crowd waiting to see the Dalai Lama....very patiently...

Sitting with our chai and coffee beforehand...the setting is so pretty...right in the bush..

The Dalai Lama and Australian zoo...

2 gorgeous days....out to see the Dalai Lama at Chenrezig Institute at Eudlo on Thursday and then off to the Australian Zoo on Friday. Trudy and Tom drove up on Wednesday nite after work to stay for a couple of nites for these special events and also to have a birthday dinner on Thursday nite for her 25th birthday.

Chenrezig Institute is about 15 minutes drive from our place but because of all the security precautions and the sheer number of people involved with the Dalai Lama's visit, we drove to the little town of Eudlo and then travelled in buses from there. It was all well organized and we were up there by about 10.30. 12midday was our deadline for being seated so we had plenty of time to browse the stalls and find something to eat....some risotto balls which I think were called aroncini. We had 3 different flavours and they were quite yummy and then cups of coffee and chai tea. After this we made our way up quite a long track to a cleared field in amongst all the trees where the stage was set up. The crowd of 4000 waited quite patiently I thought, for about an hour until the Dalai Lama arrived. I liked our spot as the hill dropped away from us and we were looking out into the treetops behind the stage...gorgeous. When he arrived on the stage he was very down to earth and relaxed....he took a couple of minutes to work out which microphone he wanted to stand at as the sun was beating down on him...when he was in position he made a 'peek-a-boo' gesture out through the awnings which we all loved of course...and just said 'hello'.

I found him to be just as we see him on tv...very humble, laughs a lot...at himself often and very wise in a down to earth manner...very practical. He spoke to us for a couple of hours I think. I felt that it was such a good sign that all those people made the effort to go and see him - it was such a peaceful event.

Our meal on Thursday nite was fun...we played Rummikub while the roast was in the oven and then after our meal we had chocolate cake and this really yummy coconut ice-cream made on the sunny coast here. Zoe came over but Al was away. And there were candles in her cake...

Friday Trudes, Tom and I went to the Aussie zoo and Trudy really wanted to see the wombats and koalas...maybe because they are heading overseas soon for a few years...they are my favorites too...I think Tommy liked the tigers best...not sure. The show was funny and the whole day was lovely...

Sunny, rainy, who knows?

So right now it is gorgeous out there...but yesterday it was bleak...actually even half an hour ago it was bleak so the weather is still doing its own thing. But if the sun hangs around it might be a good time for a walk on the beach.

Yesterday we visited some friends with a new baby. Ethan is 5 days old and was 5 and 1/2 pounds born...he is a perfect little little baby. We both got to hold him for ages while he slept so peacefully. His mum looks relaxed and happy and his dad looks exhausted and thinner. Sammi, the mum had an extremely difficult pregnancy as she had only a 2% chance of falling pregnant and when she did was a high risk pregnancy because of her medical condition. So the outcome of having this perfect baby is pretty wonderful. I had forgotten how amazing a new life is...of course it brought back lots of my memories of having my kids and then thoughts of grandchildren for me one day....

I seem to be strengthening a lot of my female friendships at this stage in my life...I am surrounded by groups of women more and more..in my recovery group and in my volunteer work and with Trudes and her friends. Desley, my friend from Dalby, talks to me about this stage in our lives and the 'crone' years as she puts it. Not being derogatory but that is a term for this phase in womens' older years. A lot changes which is obvious, but there are so many benefits and there is a transition stage when the old me and the new me need to meld and settle into each other. I have had to let go of a lot which goes with being female...My women friends my age talk about the confusion in choosing clothing for example as we seem to not fit in a category at the moment. We don't want to be matrons but we don't want to be mutton dressed as lamb either..So last weekend when I went to Brisbane and Trudy and Sarah helped me put some outfits together that was so appreciated....and it was a real help to me. Now Desley wants to see my outfits...I am lucky to be surrounded by so many great females...young and older...and old...

Life is good...

Fun at the markets again...

I love this market...it is the Suitcase Rummage sale in Brisbane every first Sunday of the month...we were in Reddacliff Place just opposite the casino and heading down towards the mall...so lots of passing traffic. This month's market was huge with lots and lots of fun things for sale...mostly clothing but other goods like cupcakes...yum...and jewelry and handcrafted wares like timber bowls and artworks and knitted goodies..

This pic was taken by a friend of Trudy's on Trudy's camera so I stole the photo. We sat with Laura and were visited by Sarah and some other friends of the girls. It is quite a social day with lots of chats with the people in the crowd and lots of people watching ...the fashions are pretty amazing with all the vintage outfits and indie fashion and just plain incredible. I would like to stop people and just ask them to stand still so I can take their photo but don't think that is a good plan..

Trudes and I just happened to be wearing similar cardies...I went shopping Friday nite with Trudes and then Sarah joined us to help me choose some clothes as I get bamboozled with it all and I bought my (half-price!!!) orange cardigan and Trudes happened to have an op-shop cardie too. So...twins.

I tried to steal some photos of Laura and Sarah from their facebook sites but couldn't so will ask them and post them on here soon...they are lovely girls and fun for me to be around...