Merry Christmas

Quote of the day:  "I woke up this morning and what did i see?  A wrinkled up Pug face just staring at me!  She had big black eyes and a short little nose.  Soft velvet ears folded up like a rose.  Just inches away she gave a big wheeze - sucked in some air, let out a giant sneeze!!  A joy?  A pleasure?  A thrill?  it is not!!!  To be woken up on Christmas morning by a spray of Pug snot."  (Author unknown)

I have had an interesting week.  My daughter set me up with facebook.  It has taken me 3 weeks to get 16 friends.  Similar to my blog experience 6 - months to get 19 followers.  I have come to the conclusion that my life is just not that interesting.

So I ran an experiment - I made a facebook page for my Pug - Fifi aka Pugelicious.  It took Fifi 3 days to get more friends than me.  That is not terribly good for one's ego I have to say.

Anyway - for those that have faithfully followed me since I started blogging - I have to say - thank you.  Blogging has broadened my experience in life - it has introduced me to beautiful souls that I would not have otherwise known - and I am grateful for that.

So to you and yours - from me and from Fifi - God Bless and may all of you have a safe and happy Christmas xo

Christmas Wrapped Up

Quote of the day:  "Anyone who believes that men are the equal of women have never seen a man trying to wrap a Christmas present." (Author unknown)

It has always been the way in our house that I do all the shopping for the Christmas presents and I also do all the wrapping.  I am not sure how this tradition started, but this is just the way it goes in my world.

I do revel in the gift giving thing, I have to confess - it gives me such pleasure and I just love wrapping all the presents and putting the pretty bows on them.

In years gone by I know I have criticized his rugged way of wrapping the gifts, perhaps this is why he lets me do it - he hates it - I love it, it all makes sense I guess.

Hope you have had a great weekend - back to the grind tomorrow - Sigh!!

Christmas Heart

Quote of the day:  "Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.  The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years...Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart."  (George Matthew Adams)

I just love Christmas - it is my favourite time of year.  It makes me think about my loved ones and how much I have to be grateful for.  It makes me think about those who are less fortunate and how I can do things to help.

I look at my own life and feel humbled my blessings.  One of my biggest blessings is my Husband.  He is my beating heart and I adore him.  He is always there when I need him and he is a wonderful father to our children.

Yep - a lot to be grateful for.

Christmas Warmth

Quote of the day:  "From home to home, heart to heart, from one place to another the warmth of Christmas brings us closer to each other."  (Emily Matthews)

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is decorating with all the little ornaments I have collected over the years - they just make me happy.

Each year they are each pulled out of their boxes dusted off and placed in their special spots.  Every year I look forward to seeing their happy little faces dotted around our home.

I have always wanted a nativity scene ornament, but as yet I have not found the right one.  I will keep looking.

Hope you are having a great week.

Interest in Life

Quote of the day:  "Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people.  Forget yourself."  (Henry Miller)

People are fascinating.  I took my Mum to the doctor recently and we got chatting to all sorts of interesting people.  Most of them were from my Mum's generation.  So many people are fundamentally kind hearted - I enjoyed our chats and the waiting did not seem as long.

Public transport is such a strange entity.  Most people get on the tram, put their ipods in, get their books out and then switch off from everything around them.  Last week a man got on my tram and he was from America.  He was just so friendly, and it just seemed so out of the ordinary, I was fascinated with him.  He was just gorgeous, so friendly talking to everyone that got on the tram, he stood up for a lady, was telling her about why he was living in Adelaide and that he was on his way to an interview.  I loved hearing his chatting and his vibrance and love of life and interest in all around them.

My daughter is from this technological age we live in.  I am forever telling her to interact with people (especially her family) and disconnect from her technical world.  She will not even speak to her friends on the phone - preferring text or computer chat.

This all seems so sad in many ways.  Her grandmothers are aging and I often say - spend time with them, you don't know how long you will have them.  Make the most of your relationships, meet new people.  Alas no luck - she continues to be connected to her technical lifeline.  My daughter seems to have a lack of interest in anything other than technology and her friends.

I look at the difference in the way my son interacts with us compared to my daughter.  He is always relaxed and chatty, ready to have a laugh.  I always make sure we eat our evening meal together.  This obviously is the only time we get to really communicate as a family.  Sometimes I wish I could slow down those sands that go through the hour glass.  I wish for my children to stay young and innocent for longer.  It seems the harder I wish, the faster life goes.  I just hope that they don't forget the art of communication and maintain an interest in life.

Here is hoping that tomorrow the sands go a little slower.

Is this where I am meant to be?

Quote of the day:  "Strange is our situation here upon earth.  Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose.  From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know:  That we are here for the sake of others..for the countless unknown souls whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy.  Many times a day, I realise how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received."  (Albert Einstein)

I have several girlfriends who are a bit older than me, and our conversations have had a theme lately.  All have reached a place where they are feeling frustrated about career, work/life balance and not having a clear direction of where they would like to be.

I have felt like this in my life too, so I guess it is not necessarily an age specific thing.  I have given a lot of thought about the subject and am convinced that we are where we are meant to be.  Sometimes it is not our choice, but there often seems to be a purpose to it.  Sometimes it is clear immediately, and sometimes you are pushed along a certain path and it becomes clear down the track.

My sister has recently been given a career promotion, she is now Executive Assistant to the CEO of a big company.  With this she has longer hours, sometimes weekend work and many extra pressures and less time with her family.

Having had a high pressure career pre children, I chose to only ever work part time after they were born.  I have been lucky that I have enjoyed my work and feel lucky that I have been able to maintain a good work/life balance.  Although sometimes I feel that I should be doing more to contribute to society - to be able to help more.

Having my Dad die last year and having added responsibilities with my Mum I feel like I am here to help my Mum and to be around for my love ones in whatever capacity they require.

I have been completely blessed by the parents I was given.  My Dad was wonderful and my Mum everything I could have hoped for.  As they have aged I have become a carer for them.  This is my place to be, to give back to my love ones what they have given to me.

The Tree is Trimmed

Quote of the day:  "I am not alone at all, I thought.  I was never alone at all - and that of course is the message of Christmas.  We are never alone.  Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly indifferent.  For this is still the time God chooses."  (Taylor Caldwell)

We finally trimmed the tree.  What a saga it is every year.  The children bicker about who will hang what baubles where.  I have whined and moaned about their arguments for as long as I can remember.

This year my Daughter had plans, her social life was more exciting than trimming the tree.  I suddenly had an overwhelming feeling that times were changing.  Before I know it my children will be gone, off doing their own thing, and I would be left to trim the tree alone.

Snapping out of my temporary melancholy, I decided to make it special for my Son and I.  I put our Christmas music on, I watched him hang the baubles wherever he wanted and I enjoyed the peace of the afternoon.

Life is forever changing, it is important to enjoy the moment while you still have it.

Happy Monday :)