I don’t mind if there are lots of craft items about and a few toys or the odd book especially like the one I found here.  That isn’t clutter to me but a reminder that I have a beautiful child who loves to be creative. The type of clutter I’m talking about are clusters of paperwork, laundry and clothes not put away, clothes that are no longer worn, dishes in the sink.

There’s still a way to go and I have a room full of boxes that need to be unpacked, but at least boxes can be placed neatly together. I’ve been here for almost 6 months and my lease is due for renewal which means I’ll be signing on for another 12 months all being well, so I’ve deliberately not unpacked some things until I feel more secure here.

One of the places I tidied was the garage. It’s a drive in garage and the door leads to my kitchen/living area so it’s the first place I see when I arrive home and the last place when I leave so I like that first impression to be fairly neat and tidy. I open the garage now and feel good whereas before it was a bug bear.

How do you feel about this topic? Can you work well with, and tune out to, clutter around you? Do you clean and tidy yourself or have a professional cleaner come in? I’m working towards getting a cleaner just here and there for the usual housework to free myself up and to know that my home has had a thorough clean. Wish me luck with that goal.

Update : Well, the above was written sometime ago. QUITE sometime! At the end of  January. Eek! I did sign on for a year in this lovely home just a couple of weeks ago and I am definitely feeling more secure. I’ve just had another clearing/filing session with paperwork. It builds up so quickly. And, I can start unpacking more boxes. I haven’t had a cleaner in, but have been more pro active myself.  However, I know exactly who I will be calling on when the time comes.

Another ongoing issue that constantly plagues me is the build up of emails at my inbox. That definitely clutters my mind and distracts me from concentrating on business. So if you have any input as to how to keep on top of that side of  life but please don’t recommend a tool that I have to learn to use, your comments will be much appreciated.

Disclaimer : As always a quick reminder that by clicking on any links or buttons here at my blog you may cause an increase in my bank balance. Very much appreciated if that happens

My dilemma was little Ms Charlotte. There’s been a LOT of change in her little life over the past 12 months, so I was
uneasy about  adding  anymore and attending the Summit meant being away from my girl for a fair whack of the four days. Leaving early whilst She’s sleeping, arriving back late when She’s possibly back in bed for the night. The max we’ve been apart is two days but I’ve still seen her in the morning, then later the following night.

So day one we were off to a difficult start. My fault, I kissed Charlotte goodbye one too many times which woke her up, but the lights apparently did it, too. I actually had to leave 45 mins later than I wanted because She was just crazy upset and I always promised myself I wouldn’t leave my child in such a state having had that done to me when I was younger. No blame being placed here. It’s just the way it was, but I have extremely clear memories of my own experience at 4 years of age.

Charlotte’s older but the upset was very intense. She wanted to come with me and although She can in a couple of years possibly, at 6 yrs it just wouldn’t work. So, my calming her allowed me to leave in a better state, too. I hit the peak hour traffic, but it wasn’t so bad and found out the Summit started later by a fair bit which means I made it well on time. Phew!

And what a great decision I made to go. The line up of speakers and information is worth its weight in gold (even though it is Free for me!) Today’s great Entrepeneurs were Brett McFall and Tom Hua (the brains behind WIS), Rich Waterman & the highly amusing and informative Steve Essa.

Steve showed us how to make sales by video marketing and he has a program that is great for beginners & professionals alike. I happily purchased the training because video is getting bigger all the time as a way to make things happen financially online. And it really is NOT expensive. Check it out for yourself right here : http://www.worldinternetoffice.com/app/?af=1430259 I also decided to become an affiliate, so yes this link may produce some bucks for me if you should purchase this great bargain that ends in a few days. And that’s my disclaimer. Ever grateful to you if you or someone you know should buy. I doubt you’ll be disappointed in the product. These people have plenty of  integrity.

The day ended an hour earlier than I anticipated which meant I was home (actually at Mum’s home) well in time to catch up with Charlotte, play and pop her to bed even though I had to pull over on the side of the road along with all the other traffic whilst a mini hurricane tore through. A little scary and awesome at the same time.

What an eventful day! And more to come. Tomorrow, I will get ready well away from my sleeping beauty and I will give her one kiss before heading off for day #2. Don’t forget to check this out : http://www.worldinternetoffice.com/app/?af=1430259 especially if video is on your list of  things to do.

Let me know how you get on by leaving a comment.

Christine (Gippsygirl)

photo credit: Citril

I have always loved reading autobiographies and wondered what makes people tick. Why are some folks wildly successful and others (myself included) strugglers and stuck? They seem to find their pot of gold in more ways than one. I don’t have the answers here, but I’m certainly learning some from other people

I’m sick of struggling and feeling stuck. For many years I’ve felt unfulfilled in life even when I’m doing amazing things. I’ve travelled the world and the old saying ‘wherever you go, you take yourself with you’ seems so appropos. In other words, my depression and way of relating in the world doesn’t go just because I’m travelling the world! And, no, I wasn’t ‘running away’. I was just living life and not so successfully at times. I won’t be too hard on myself.  Most people probably have some things they would do differently if they could revisit the moment.

I’ve also believed and felt that there is more to me than I have ever tapped into and that is part of my depression. I become excited, then overwhelmed with the possibilities, then do nothing significant, then get depressed I think that’s the order it goes in.

As a result I’ve spent my life being tired and even exhausted. I have avoided having tests for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and saying that I have CFS because I know I would buy into that, but I definitely have CFS moments, symptoms and many of them.

So helping myself with ANYTHING is better than doing nothing and I’m loving the availability of  LOA information on the World Wide Web which has always been a passion of mine. This year feels like THE year to make some real inner changes and start truly living into the life I’m meant to live. I can’t put it off and pfaff around the edges anymore so here are some of the people I like to follow that appear to me to be successful that I can learn from and you, too. It’s not that they don’t have down times, but they seem to cope with them and move through them differently.

Firstly, some more Aussies. I subscribed to Natalie & Ryans Mind Movies and purchased this product a long time ago. Natalie Ledwell now has a great show http://theinspirationshow.com/ The interviews are around 15 mins and chockers ( ‘full’ for those who are unfamiliar with the term) with inspiring content. Episode #58 with Mercedes Maidana inspired the hell out of me particularly because I can relate closely to her story. In episode #60 Natalie is interviewing another amazing woman that I’ve had the pleasure of  listening to in a couple of live seminars in Melbourne, Loral Langemeier. Loral almost scares me because She is so powerful!

So that’s my bit of link love for today. I know I’ll have more down the track but there’s plenty here to keep you going.

Enjoy the share.

Photo : Copyright: C. Holroyd

Disclaimer : I am an Affiliate so you may be helping me to earn money if you click on any links at my blog and purchase. I am very grateful to you if you do

It’s now day 3 in my neck of the woods and I have a pretty good feeling about this year. Having a cheque coming from America from some Amazon Affiliate sales AND selling some things on Ebay to take me into the new year, is a pretty good omen financially speaking.

I can honestly say last year was my most unhappy year ever and although I’m not out of the woods emotionally by any stretch of the imagination, I have always (okay, NEARLY always, well here and there. lol. ) had a sense that I am living into a much better life once my inside world comes to terms with being slapped down again and again and once I’m ‘used to’ single motherhood. You have to get rid of the old, unsupportive energy coming from people and although the circumstances for doing so were and still are, extremely painful, I still know it is my time.

I’m heading up to 50 in approximately 17 months and it’s important to take the right people with me into the next phase of life. Some unsupportive people are unfortunately, still having to be in my life but I will keep them on the periphery as best as possible. Well, it’s just one person rather than some people really. I’m trying to be diplomatic for God knows what reason but it’s my blog so I’ll write what I want to aswell! lol.

2011 was terribly difficult and devastating for so many folks. Unfortunately,  it wasn’t easy to cope with issues, but major butt kicking, hard to cope with ones. I know some people won’t take the lessons and move forward ( Ok, I know of one ) and for others I really have no idea how you could possibly work out any lesson quite frankly and my heart goes out to you, but for those who can, I sure hope you will come with me, take the bull by the horns and move forward.

It’s a slow process, I know. The old saying : one step forward, two steps back wasn’t conjured up for no reason. Or : one step in front of the other. I prefer the latter.  At least with that saying I’m continually moving forward, even if it does feel like I’m climbing Mt. Everest at times.

It is supposedly the end of the world (again) this year. lol. Bear with me because it does tie in. My take on that old clap trap is that it is perhaps the end of the world as we know it. In other words, we need to start living a completely different life which brings an end to the world we are used to living into.

Sometimes we have to be slapped pretty darn hard to propel our lives forward. A trusty, loving Clairvoyant/Healer I spoke to at length with this year and have consulted with in the past, commented that I needed the thwack otherwise I’d still be in the situation I was in (which really wasn’t leading me anywhere but down). Hmmm. I kinda didn’t need to hear that on one level, but it made painful sense on another.

Thanks Claire http://www.facebook.com/coboltwebsite and I mean that sincerely.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Do leave a comment about anything you like relating to my blog, but keep it clean if you can. Hard at times, I know, when expressing raw emotions!

photo credit: dno1967b

Sleeping treasure

Her little cheeks were red, lips full and big, blue eyes were closed (almost). Her eyelids weren’t quite shut and I could see Charlotte’s eyeballs through the slits. I’m just gobsmacked when I look at her and that’s not just tonight or only when She’s sleeping, of course. Our children are so precious and at the moment with all the life changes for us, it doesn’t take much to move me to tears.

Charlotte had her 6th birthday a few days ago and suddenly She’s so much more grown up. She was always at the very least, 2 yrs ahead of her time. One of those children that everyone said from birth including the nurses “Has been here before”. I used to look at my little bundle and always felt that She was so much older. It was an odd feeling, I can tell you, particularly when Charlotte had such a pixie face. People would ask which part of the garden She came from. Now that She’s 6, She seems to be going on 8 or 9 all of a sudden!

Forward a few weeks : We’ve been searching for a new home and today Charlotte and I checked out a reasonable place. We came away and Charlotte said “I think I could live there quite comfortably for awhile.” See? Going on 8 or 9. Not really a 6 yr old comment.

I just wanted to share my feelings as a Mum here at my blog and I know you will also relate whether you are a proud Mum, Dad, Aunt, Uncle etc. Our kids are so special, aren’t they? And worth treasuring. Make sure you tell them you love them as much as you want and kiss the little angels goodnight, everynight. I’m always planting a kiss on Charlotte’s gorgeous face well after She’s fallen to sleep ’cause I believe She will know and feel my love whilst dreaming in the land of nod.

My friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers are unbelievably caring, helpful and acknowledging and I am able to lean on them. I also seem to be attracting the absolute right people into my life. Even Government agencies that I have to deal with are extremely helpful and understanding. Of course they can’t all be there in the middle of the night (that would make things a little crowded!) when I’m feeling dreadful but that’s probably a good thing for them at least.

Already there are some positives showing up. That much needed time alone is now mine. I’m so glad I like my own company and once Charlotte is in bed, it is peaceful except of course, for the inner turmoil. There are times when I want to bury my head in the sand or escape from my body so I don’t have to feel these awful feelings but that’s not possible so I just have to ride them out.

At the moment, I try to do something each day towards educating myself and taking steps to move forward. I’m not good at being in limbo but being in limbo is where I am. I don’t know where we will be living or what the future holds. Charlotte is so far quite unaffected by the change and what a blessing that is. As the journey continues and should we have to move (a very likely prospect) then it may be a little trickier and I guess the ‘limbo’ thing is maybe good from Charlotte’s perspective so that She can adjust slowly.

I am currently writing this from a holiday unit that my good friend has kindly paid for so that we can have a much needed break and it’s lovely in the mountains. We look across to the Victorian Alps and when the rain took a break and clouds lifted early this evening we were given a spectacular view of  one of the first snowfalls of the season on the majestic Mt. Bogong. Roll on Winter and the ski season! That’ll lift my spirits no end. My friend has an older child who looks upon Charlotte as her little sister. They are having a blast together and it makes me proud to watch Charlotte interacting so well and laughing  joyously.

Fast forward a couple of days. The holiday is over. We had a long, long drive home. Approximately 7 hours in the car with heavy traffic to contend with through Melbourne. Back to reality!

photo credit: LaPrimaDonna

I mentioned a tiny bit in my last post about my partner not being able to eat certain foods. Before his stent operation he was given instructions from his doc to stop eating carbohydrates,  fatty meat & drinking alcohol. Fish & skinless chicken or turkey are fine. Once Peter is down to a manageable weight, he can start back on minimal carbs. and a bit of red wine is apparently quite healthy for you.

One of our meals. Not too shoddy!

Peter took the challenge on with gusto and his weight loss took place quite quickly. He’s lookin’ good. There are a  few kilos to go, but he will get there. People always have something to say about no carb/low carb diets. People always have something to say about anything really. Yes including me sometimes but I try to keep an open mind.  There seems to be a weight loss diet to suit everyone and at the end of the day if it works and you feel better for it, then you need to listen to your own body and go with it. I am not advocating going against your doctor or health practitioners advice here. Please don’t ignore their wisdom.

You do have to have a balanced diet and I see what Peter is eating now. And me by the way although in smaller quantities being a smaller person. I do enjoy these meals so much and have been known to go back for seconds.

I have reduced my intake of carbs big time and rarely eat bread anymore and I’m finally (almost) back to my pre pregnancy weight. Something that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I will add that I wasn’t really overweight for my height but I just felt bloated easily and frequently.

We get so many good things into our system now : pulses, seeds, fruit, vegetables, fish and the list goes on. I’m not as strict as Peter and always ate quite healthily anyway and I haven’t been through a stent operation or told to lose weight by my doctor. Part of my reason for cutting things out of my own diet was so I could also make it easier for Peter. Everyone in the family needs to get onboard & be supportive when one person has to change their diet.

If you’re wanting to start on a low carbs diet, this book could just be for you.

I need to let you know as my disclaimer that clicking on some of my links may cause you to lose weight. No, that’s not it. lol. I am an Affiliate Marketer and you may cause my bank account to gain weight.

After weeks of  waiting ‘The stent op’ took place  successfully today. I’m writing this at home after a very emotional day not helped in any way by my conversations with Peter into the wee hours (3 AM), then being woken again at 5 AM by little Miss Charlotte. Not for long, but woken out of a deep sleep.

Peter phoned the hospital BEFORE leaving this time. Highly recommended! We were able to leave later  for a midday booking rather than 10 AM. Once again, it was a hassle free journey and not raining this time which also made life on the road a fair bit easier.

Peter was whisked away quickly with me in tow for the pre meds, but after that things slowed down somewhat.  At least we knew the operation was going to happen. I kept asking Peter if  he felt dopey yet and his comment was ‘No more than usual’. I guess he could also have responded with “I don’t think dopey would like me feeling him”. Bad joke but I need the light relief at the moment! And it’s my blog so I’ll write what I like. lol.

With operations I usually wait until after the person has gone before bawling my eyes out, but it was all too much and they flowed a bit earlier as I kissed Peter farewell and the tears kept coming on and off all day until at last the stents were in place. There was a mixture of  emotions : anxiety, sadness, fear & finally relief.

The procedure was longer and more needed doing than first thought so the Surgeon ( a lovely, French-Canadian fella that also did the Angiogram a few weeks prior) got it over and done with in one fell swoop to save us yet another journey back to the hospital.

Where Did He Go?

Even though Peter waved hello after the op from his trolley bed, he was wheeled away at lightning speed and I was left feeling a bit bewildered and angry that I couldn’t find him. There were only two places he could be, but I just wished the communication was more forth coming. Hmmm! I seem to recall the c word coming up in my last post about our trip to the Medical Centre. Good communication goes a long way.

Once I located Peter, I wasn’t allowed to be with him. Sad face. I was ushered to the waiting room. It turned out there was quite a bit of chest pain experienced after the op and plenty of concern so I can forgive the lack of  the c word in this particular instance.

Eventually, I was called upon but with strict orders to sit quietly & read without engaging Peter. Ha! I did my duty, but Peter was totally chatty. I had to keep telling him to rest up and stop talking. What a turnaround. I’m the one with the reputation for being chatty so how dare he steal my thunder! lol.

I was relieved actually and his pain was no longer there once I arrived. Must be something to do with my calming influence. NOT! Although having someone familiar with you after a major procedure can probably go a long way to aiding the healing process.

By the end of the evening, we were cracking some pretty bad jokes and having quite a laugh. After sharing a couple of trays of food together (I ate the food Peter isn’t currently able to eat ) I trekked home rather reluctantly knowing that I have to trek back again within a short space of  time.

Our sweet little Charlotte is now in bed after having a great day with her Nanna (my Mum) and I am revelling in the peace and quiet. It is so rare for me to have time to myself. Still feeling a bit of anxiety and asking the Universe to give Peter a smooth night but relieved that the arteries are looking healthy again and we have the pics to prove it.

The Day After

Unfortunately, I couldn’t post this yesterday but I am happy to report that Peter spent only the one night in hospital and he is now home and resting up after Charlotte and I travelled back to the hospital this afternoon in scorching 40C temps and strong winds. We wanted to do some Asian shopping again, but the wind made things too uncomfortable to be out shopping for any length of time.

I won’t jinx things and say we’ll do it next time. We’ve had enough of  hospitals, thanks very much! But a visit specifically to buy spices and do some Op shopping again will be on the cards.

photo credit: edans

Zucchini and two varieties of tomato. Part of the bounty from our garden

I got today’s blog inspiration whilst weeding and harvesting some of our veggies from the back garden last night. We just love going ‘shopping ‘ in the back yard. We also grow silverbeet, corn which doesn’t seem to be faring aswell this year perhaps due to the unusual tropical conditions in our part of Australia. We grow snowpeas or mange tout as they can be known. Plus different herbs : fennel, Vietnamese mint, chamomile (which is pretty to look at but I haven’t ever used it) & lavender for potpourri and to display in our vases.

Almost ready for our first harvest of grapes

The driveway is about to get messy.

AND we grow fruit which is dotted about the place : the grapes on the front porch and plums far too close to the driveway are not quite ready, but we’ve had some lovely rasberries and the thornless blackberries are ready but too bitter to eat. Maybe next year will be the year for them. Our blueberries are slow and the Gojiberry tree isn’t going anywhere, but you never know. It seems to be just hanging in there however lemons & limes are abundant!

I just came across this website called Aussie Gardening. Seems to have a lot of great resources.  I’ve only skimmed over it and will have to revisit. Enjoy and I hope you get inspired to grow your own fruit and veggies. It really is a rewarding way to live.

caught midair

Star jumping out of the frame

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