Tag: home

Reflecting on Communities

As I was driving home from work tonight, I was reflecting on my community at work. I love the people I work with. It makes all the difference. Even those I am not close to, I appreciate. At the worst of times and the best of times it is great to belong to a community.

Reading my feeds I found on Snoskred’s “Life in the Country” a beautiful post along the same lines of what I had been thinking. Her guest blogger Tiffany from 3 Ring Circus had written this lovely post about living in a community: Out of Her Niche.

I think communities can be built in all different kinds of places. I have lived in small communities and enjoyed the ‘neighbourly’ kind of community and have experienced community in workplaces, friendship circles, families and through my children’s lives. It is a valuable thing.

I agree with Tiffany that sometimes you don’t have to be like them or even necessarily spend a lot of time together, but when you belong to one, they are there for you and it’s a marvellous thing.

Sifting Through Memories

I have spent much of these ‘at home’ holidays, on improving my home. When my daughter moved out, my son claimed her room and lets just say the transition was quick and rough. Things have been shoved and tucked away and as a result out of the four rooms upstairs, only one has been fit to be in. I have a lot of storage space up there too, yet it has been very poorly utilised.

I have spent today sorting through the ‘stuff’ my daughter has kept during her 18 years so far. Her dad dropped in to see my son today and declared she had a similar stash at his place! She also has another ‘home’ in Melbourne with all the important stuff she needs.

I have discussed this sorting out with her and she agreed that she didn’t really need to keep every assignment and workbook she had filled in the 13 years at school. I have also culled some of the things I know she wouldn’t want. So we have boxes of karate memories, travel memories (she has been to US, Italy and NZ, as well as around Australia), cards and letters (who knew kids wrote to each other so much and in such a variety of ways!), photo’s, important school stuff (certificates, school captain badges, photos, awards etc), soft toys, journals and diaries and performance stuff (music, drama, debating, choir).

There was so much, I didn’t really have time to read her diaries and letters as I always feared my mum would when I moved out of home. I did reflect though on how much she has achieved in her life. She’s awesome!

The room is empty now and the boxes are labelled and taped up and sitting in one of the storage areas. I wonder when/if she’ll ever look at it all again. I just couldn’t get rid of it all. I don’t feel as sad as I thought I would, but it has been months since she left, so perhaps that’s why it took so long.

Coughing and Spluttering

I have had the full range of winter ailments this year. On this first day of the holidays I have woken with a sore chest and cough. I did enjoy a full nights sleep last night.
I am drenched with relief that it is holidays. Last term was just too full on for me personally. I need to rest, clean my home, throw out stuff and catch up on all the details of my life. I have no travel plans. I am going to get re-acquainted with my home.
I put my son on a plane yesterday to join his dad in QLD for a holiday. It will be quiet around here without him and his friends. The last two nights there have been a tangle of bodies sleeping in his room each night and lots of comings and goings and laughter. I love the kids, but honestly will appreciate a break in the traffic.
Andy is off to Tassie today. I don’t know how I feel about that. Mixed I guess, is all I can say.