Tag Archive for daughter

What Katie did Next….

23/11/2011 Joh family, travel

Tonight I called into my parents after work to hang out a little with my baby sister on her whirlwind visit home. She’s been home less than two weeks and she’s off again. Since she was home last she’s worked on Rottnest Island and travelled around NT to the Kimberlies and other locations such as Broome in WA. Now she’s off to some place in QLD that I must say I’ve never heard of. She’ll return in several months for a quick visit before she heads off overseas.

She is well travelled that’s for sure. She has lots of interesting anecdotes about her adventures. This time involving snakes and tour guides, as well as silly things tourists do. It’s great to listen to them. What I enjoy most though are the laughs I have with her. I don’t even know what we laugh about half the time. Just at each other.

Tonight she was banging on about a fairly typical theme of how old I am. Kate is 16 years younger than me. Then my daughter arrived and demonstrated an amusing exchange on ‘hey tell’ and she was suddenly feeling old and out of the loop. Quite amusing for me… although she’d never admit it.

She’ll be off tomorrow. Mum and dad will resume their quiet, retired, summer at home, and I won’t laugh as hard next time I visit.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , ,

Full Day Off

09/09/2011 Joh family, food, gratitude, health, learn, music

Today I didn’t work because I had a job interview booked for the middle of the day. It was a phone interview and didn’t take that long but scheduled smack in the middle of period 2 for all the schools I work at so I couldn’t work. I think it went ok.

I got to watch Darin’s kids play percussion at the Eisteddfod this morning. They were so cute. Primary students bubbling away with excitement, playing their xylophones, triangles and drums. Any kind of music ensemble is impressive to me. They all did so well. The looks of concentration on some of the students faces reminded me what educational experiences are all about.

Darin and I walked down the street in the cold today after my interview. It’s been sunny for a while here and we’ve walked down the street and shopped for dinner ingredients most days in the last two weeks. Today was a real test though because I could feel the icy air the minute I stepped outside. I enjoy walking through the park to the street every day. I feel more connected to my community. You see more and connect with people walking through the park. Cruising the car park looking for a free space is no substitute.

This afternoon I had attempt number 3 at cooking macarons. I tried a different recipe and applied a few things I’d learnt from last time and they were better, but only one out of the 20 odd was near to looking how I want them to and the taste wasn’t as good as last time. I have a few new theories to apply to my next attempt though. I also had a go at making nougat. It’s not that good because I don’t think I cooked the toffee part long enough and it’s too soft. It tastes ok though. I just realised today that these are both gluten-free.

I enjoyed phone conversations with my sister, son and daughter today, nice long chats, not rushed ones.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , , , , , , ,

Deep Tissue Massage

05/09/2011 Joh family, gratitude, health, home

On the weekend I had a massage that hurt. It was a deep tissue massage and I haven’t had one for over 10 years. This was my second visit to this therapist and I think she was gentle with me the first time, but this time, because I was in a better place… she went for it!

She had told me both times that I was really tired, exhausted in fact. I was quite flippant about it, thinking ‘no more than usual’. I have slept more in the past three days than I have for a long time. I just haven’t been able to stay awake. I feel very refreshed and alive though after each lengthy nap and full night’s sleep.

I honestly didn’t realise I was so tired.

The good thing is that the times I haven’t been napping I have achieved plenty because I feel energetic and refreshed. I have been for a walk every day except today cause I was helping Asha move house, not that I did much, but I was in and out a bit. My home is clean and orderly and I’ve shifted a bit of ‘stuff’. Darin has made a start on our vegetable garden, so I’m excited about that.

Asha’s new place is wonderful. It is perfect for them and it’s close to town (which is my main criteria for a home), and freshly renovated. I’ve just returned from dropping dinner off to them. They are sitting happily among a pile of boxes.

The warm, sunny weather has amazed and I’m booked to work for the next three days now the forecast has returned to cool and rainy. Life is good.

Popularity: 1% [?]

One comment , , , , , , , ,

Clear a Space

16/08/2011 Joh home

Yes, I’m cleaning up and rearranging again. Last night I did the cupboard under the stairs that has become an overflowing pile of books with other random items hidden amongst the piles. It’s clear now with just two items I love in the wonderful space. A lamp Tom bought me and a large ceramic Asha made. I feel so much better. Less really is more.

I’ve been reading my feng shui books lately because I was looking for some colour advice for a specific area of my home, hoping to improve the energy there. I was reminded that the basic, beginning thing to do is make sure your home is clean and free of object that are unwanted, broken, dusty or not used. I have applied this simple cure to a couple of areas of my home and everything has lifted already.

Sometimes I think I need to get stuff or buy stuff to improve my home, but usually it’s best to let go of stuff and clean:). At least as a starting point!

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , , , , , , , ,

So, I still don’t have a laptop- grrr Acer!

27/04/2011 Joh family, film, gratitude, holidays, home, learn, love, random

OK, so what I have learnt about being without a laptop and the internet by association, is that I rely on it for a lot of things. It makes life easier and more enjoyable for me. Perhaps I’ve come to take it for granted, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it:). Yeah I have learnt how to do a lot more on my phone, and I appreciate that too, it makes me even more connected than I was before. Actually I don’t know if I do appreciate that! The thing is you can’t know less and I’m sure it could be useful.

Grrrr… the latest news is that I have to pay for recovery disks because my laptop is out of warranty now! In the space of a couple of weeks of being without a laptop because of a fault that was under warranty and getting it back and then not creating recovery disks, I have found myself without a laptop again for an extended period of time. I use my laptop a lot. I’m bloody annoyed. I can’t even begin to say how annoyed I am and how much I’ve learnt from this experience, so I’ll just get on with saying what I need to say.

I’ve had a great Easter. We had the kids for most of the break, which was lovely. We went fishing twice. The first time we got rained out at the sandbanks. The next day we went out along the creek and had fun skimming stones but no fish were to be lured by our noisy and fun loving party:). Next time! There were some great stone skimming feats and I think that was the more fun activity of the day. I would love to share the photo’s, but alas the laptop I am borrowing doesn’t have the software! 

We got to watch some great films due to the bad weather. Up! What a classic. I will never forget seeing it at the cinema in 3D with Darin and J(who was about 8 at the time). Darin and I kept looking at each other and at Jack. I cried and laughed. It’s a great film. We watched ‘Holes’. I love that I get to share all my old favourites again with Darin’s kids.  The kids went home to their mum’s cause it was her turn this year for the Easter bunny, and they returned the afternoon to have the hunt here. It was lovely to spend time with them and enjoy the chocolately indulgence.

I did manage to work on the clip for Tom’s 21st using my expandable hard drive and Darin’s laptop. I am not a big fan of lengthy speeches(particularly if I have to make them). I made a clip for Asha’s 21st of photos and songs that I felt were meaningful to her. People asked for a copy of it, so I felt that it was effective. I got good feedback:). I find times like that very emotional so I find it easier to just press play on something I prepared earlier, than to speak. I am so excited about Tom’s 21st. I haven’t been to Hamilton Island before so that’s exciting in itself. I hope he will let me publish it to the family once he’s seen it, cause I know many won’t be able to make it to the party and yet would love to enjoy the occasion. I know I have loved seeing photo’s of events I haven’t been able to attend.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , , , , , ,

Blogging Holiday

13/04/2011 Joh blogging, family, gratitude, home

I’m having a bit of a break from blogging because I don’t have my laptop right now, so my time online is minimal. I expect it will be back before Easter, so it won’t be for long. I’m spending very little time online right now, just checking email, making payments for the business, updating ‘The Butchers Dog’ facebook page and the bare minimum really. I’m using my phone to check all my email accounts and feeds and when I get online I only follow up the important things. I am reading heaps more and my house is in much better order than it’s been for a while.

We are having Darin’s children overnight tonight because they are on school holidays and it’s an opportunity for us to spend more time with them. That is one of the primary purposes of creating our business, so it’s great that we can take it up. Asha is also coming for dinner. We are having Roast Pork!

 I have this little snippet of time when the house is quiet and Darin’s laptop is free. I’m not complaining though, he’s very generous with his laptop and not on it half as much as I used to spend on mine. I think that will change now that I’ve had this break. It’s helped me to become aware of some of the time I waste online doing unecessary but time filling things.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , , , ,

Sunday Night Reflection

06/02/2011 Joh Business, family, gratitude, relationships

What a week it’s been!

Both my children had challenges this week and I learnt about how I need to listen. I want so much to find the magic words to solve their problems, but this was one time there was not a damn thing I could do. I can’t stop a cyclone or change institutions that are being bureaucratic twats. Darin was really perceptive (and tactful luckily!) at pointing out to me they are resilient and just want to share with me, not have me come up with magical solutions.Things have worked out ok.

We had the kids this weekend. It rained the whole time. They were great considering they were housebound. They still wanted to go in the pool which was funny, but we couldn’t let them. It was freezing. It’s so lovely to have them and quiet tonight without them! Oh and I won Scrabble now that I’m no longer an ‘English teacher’ :-) .

At work we went from hot and sticky days to pouring rain. We had quiet days at work and then it was much busier but in a good way. I want more traffic in the shop but at least Friday we sold out of food for the first time. Well, there was a little Beef Ragout left but I couldn’t keep going just for that! We’ll start making a bit more now. Darin has been keeping the quantities small to minimize wastage. I have been giving away our leftovers because I too can’t bear wastage. We are building it up slowly and it is growing nicely.

I’ve seen a few of my past colleagues this week and felt the freedom of not having to return to school. It’s a comfortable place, yet I really should have left a couple of years ago when I started to lose the passion for what I was doing. I have to admit it wasn’t easy to walk away from the salary and holidays. I feel so much better though and freer to be who I really am.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , ,

New Moon in Aquarius – Thursday 3rd February 2011

01/02/2011 Joh astrology, family, gratitude, work

This new moon is also the beginning of the Chinese New Year.  I’ll possibly post about that on the day so moving right along. Aquarius is a sign of quirkiness and independence. I know plenty of Aquarians including my mother, brother and Aunt, as well as quite a few Aquarian friends and they are all very different. I find this sign the most difficult to place. It’s in my 3rd house but I don’t have any planets in this sign, so perhaps I just don’t have much experience with it. I should perhaps investigate it more.

This post is probably going to be more about the dark moon than the new moon. Today has been, to coin a phrase often used by Mystic Medusa, psychobats!

I woke with a rush of concerns about Tom. I decided, stupidly to look up that horrible cyclone Yasi, which was a big mistake. I’d spoken to him last night and he’d told me he was leaving at 10.00am. When I’d spoken to him earlier yesterday I thought he was about to leave. I didn’t hear from him again today until 2.00. My imagination went into overdrive. He was in Sydney, not Brisbane. He is fine, but it was not a pretty 4 hours at my end.

I tried to distract myself by sorting out my finances to find the big final payment I was supposed to receive from my past employee hadn’t arrived as I was informed by email in December. It was due yesterday. I emailed them and received a vague response which didn’t really please me since I’d emptied my account last week paying all my bills cause I was expecting that money. Today one of my automatic payments that I expected would be well and truly covered, defaulted. The response I got when I phoned that former employer irked me to say the least.

My advertising person who I should have known better than to believe when she told me how great she was decided to do a last minute dash on getting it right today just before her deadline. Every time the phone rang for her to make last minute adjustments and requests I was hoping to hear my son’s voice not hers!

It was stinking hot. We had virtually no customers to distract myself with. Those that came, were in groups and when I was by myself, so as to create extra pressure. Basically, I haven’t had a good day.

On a brighter note, my daughter started her first teaching position at the Special Developmental School today. She visited me after her work. We had dinner and laughs together and I felt very proud of her. She looked great, just like a teacher:-). I appreciated Darin’s support today while I blubbered and worried all over him. He had his own things going on (not my place to mention) and yet I felt supported by him throughout the highs and lows of my day. Now, with a cool breeze coming through the front door and the knowledge that my son is safe and the day is over, I am ok. I read a twitter today when I was researching Yasi about collecting donations to send Anna Bligh on a holiday once this is all over… well deserved. It makes my whinging pale into insignificance when I imagine the pressure on others. My concerns are so personal really!

Popularity: 1% [?]

2 comments , , , , , ,

Rearranging

14/12/2010 Joh blogging, Business, family, gratitude, love, work

Tonight Darin and I rearranged the ‘furniture’ at The Butchers Dog. I love it! We got a cabinet this afternoon for the coffee machine and we both weren’t happy with how it all looked. We played around with it all for a while and then Darin came up with a brainwave to make quite a massive change. We thought we’d do it on the weekend or after Christmas, but tonight we went back to do some prep and just did it.

I can’t believe how energised I feel. Sure, there are times during the day when I am physically tired. I’m getting to work earlier than I have for many years and working into the night, but I feel great. I really need a mission to feel alive I reckon. I’m sleeping well and feeling great.

I love working with Asha. She is teaching me plenty. I feel grateful to have her around to teach me so much and just have fun with me. Kate will be back tomorrow. She’s been at Mt Bulla since last Thursday. I must admit we have a lot of good times together.

I’ve delivered food to my old school, (sounds weird) to both campuses this week. They have had us do the support staff, break up, catering and I really appreciate their support and the wonderful feedback about the food. The support staff are my favourite people at the school. I noticed a lot of rearranging going on there too. New faces in old offices. I already feel like it’s no longer my place, which is good. I still feel like they are my people though:-).

I started a blog for The Butchers Dog this week also. I really have to start promoting more and getting more people in the door. Darin is making amazing food and I’m getting great feedback about it but there could be more people enjoying it. We haven’t advertised at all yet though. I’m waiting to get the coffee machine. It should arrive Friday. I will probably wait to advertise till we reopen in January.

Popularity: 1% [?]

No comments , , , ,

Weekend at Home

12/12/2010 Joh family, gratitude, home, love, work

After all the hustle and bustle of the last few weeks, we have a blissful weekend at home and the kids are here to sweeten it all. They didn’t arrive till late afternoon yesterday so we had the morning to clear the debris of the last few mad weeks. It was such a pleasure to clean my home. Darin handled the car and lawns. Can anyone say sex role stereotypes? I like it like that though :-) .  I threw out some things and feel very conscious right now of minimal ‘stuff’ so home can be easy and peaceful. I was totally in the zone so to speak and found myself cleaning out the pantry and the wardrobe as well as the regular washing, sweeping, vacuuming, dusting and wiping things.

I didn’t go to my last day of school on Friday. It was too much and I wanted to be with Asha for her birthday. She had to go to Melbourne on Friday night for a family (exes) party, so I wanted to enjoy the day with her at least. Friday night Darin and I put our feet up and had a drink and a debrief about what we’ve learnt so far and what we want to try. It doesn’t even feel like work.

Today we are putting up the Xmas tree with the kids. Life is very good.

Popularity: 1% [?]

One comment , , , , , ,
« Older Entries