Out and about at the Darwin Festival - Keyimba

With the end of the dry season just around the corner it is time to squeeze in as many cool activities as possible. This is not just a notion exclusive to my own little head. This is actually the way the whole city operates at this time of year. From July to August there are more events held than there are the entire year.

One such an event, which is actually an event jam packed with even more events is the Darwin Festival.

Eighteen days crammed with the widest variety of shows you will ever come across. Some are free community events, some require paid tickets to watch some of the countries finest comedians and some are held in the back yard of a local primary school giving the kids a chance to join on in.

This year I have not been to as many Darwin Festival events as previous years. Why that is I am not sure, just the way the cookie crumbles I guess. However when a friend asked me if I wanted to tag along to watch her daughter perform with West African drumming group Keyimba I was there in a heartbeat.

I can only imagine how much fun it was to sit up on stage with them. What a fantastic experiencce for young Emily

The energy created by the Keyimba was amazing and infectious. It wasn't long before everyone was up and dancing with them.

As I was sitting there looking for things to photograph with my dodgy camera that is on it's last legs and with it's wrong lens on, I couldn't help but notice these little beauties.

Now I am not generally one to get all excited about shoes, least of all boots but these white babies really took my fancy. A fancy that was taken a little further when I looked up to see who would wear such gems in a tropical paradise.

Meet Afro Moses. The dude of all dudes.

Afro Moses came complete with acid wash jeans as well. Sadly for your view pleasure I was unable to snap a shot of them though.

Turns out that Afro Moses was friends with the band. Very good friends actually because towards the end of the show he got up and sang a song with them.

Have you heard of Keyimba? They are currently touring around the place so please check out their website to see if they come near you

Messages from the Universe

It is no secret that I am a huge believer in all things fairy like. I have also always been pretty open about my belief in the powers that be and everything happening for it's own (not always apparent) reason. It is a belief system that has served me well through out my thirty five years of existence so far.

Image found here
Thanks to Billy Frank Alexander Design

Sometimes however it is not always as straight forward as what I might like it to be.
Sometimes all I feel is a jumbled mess with far too many possibilities for me to face.
Sometimes what I think is a message full of meaning turns out to be something a lot more simple and vice versa leaving me wondering what on earth I am meant to do. Which may very well be what I am faced with now.

Actually I am always wondering what I am supposed to do now, just this time I am drawing a complete blank and have no idea as to which way I should go.

The other day thanks to a bloggers Facebook group that I am a part of I heard that the Oz Blog Hosting Facebook page had a ticket to up for grabs to attend the ProBlogger event. Even though it is on the Gold Coast and even though I am not exactly financially flush with cash I entered anyway. As if I would win.

Naturally I won.

So thank you Universe for that one. But what about the plane tickets? And accommodation? Not that I want to appear greedy, just realistic.

There is a part of me that says to hell with the expense just book the tickets and run with it. After all the universe did send the event ticket your way...

Then the sensible part over rules and shouts down the stupidity of that idea. After all things like food and the mortgage really need to be given top priority don't they? Especially since when I decided to go the Digital Parents Conference back in March I knew it ruled out any prospect of making it to ProBlogger.

Only upon returning from said conference in March I am left with a whole range of emotions that leave me hankering to go to ProBlogger. Things that I thought I would get but didn't, the first time round, I am sure I will get next month. If of course I was there. Which I could be because I have a ticket, if only it weren't so far away.

Sigh.

Oh the toils and tribulations of being a blogger.

Anyone with some spare frequent flyer points they want to share?

Or a business looking for some blog exposure?

Call me as quick as you can!

Oh and just in case you still haven't seen my latest vlog now you can

Joining in all the fun of blogging on a Tuesday with Jess for #IBOT

Monday Mention - Bunnings Supporting Community Gardens

The importance of a good community can never be under estimated. In fact a good supportive community is the cornerstone of society. It provides the foundation for us to grow and prosper and gives an opportunity for us to give back to it if we so desire.

As much as I am a hermit type recluse, I also value and understand the importance of a good strong community. In fact as much as I can, I actively participate in a whole range of community minded events, both in the real world and online.

Something I have been thinking about lately is trying to get my online communities and my real life communities a little more intwined. You see if this were the case I may just be able to secure enough sponsorship to cover my accommodation and flights to attend the ProBlogger event next month. Oh my that would be just beyond lovely. (Hint, hint big company who wants to help out little old me, or small one if you have some spare cash to share) 

But I digress, because last week the opportunity did arise for me to intertwine some real life and online life stuff. These beautiful ladies came to Zany's school.

Tracey and Tammy from the local Bunnings with some of the wonderful donations
they brought for the school's garden

One of the garden mums who has helped
create a wonderful community garden at our
local primary school.
An inspirational and amazing woman.

 Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the lovely lady you see on the left there, plus few others who were a little more camera shy, the school has been incredibly fortunate in having a very special community garden created for the students. One that while has taken time has also grown at great speeds thanks to the generosity of the donations from Bunnings.

In fact thanks to Tammy and the crew at Bunnings many aspects of the garden have been able to happen a lot quicker than were first anticipated.

The planting day last week saw a fantastic range of fruiting trees go into the ground. Including cumquat, advocado, billy goat plum, black sapote and a pomegrante. Not to mention some tomato plants and pumpkin seedlings for the vegetable beds.

It was also a great opportuntiy for the students to get out in the garden and participate in the growing of sustainable plants. Some of the younger students will actually be able to pick fruit of some of the quicker growing trees. Which is a pretty exciting thought. Especially for the little brothers and sisters (like Teapot) that were tagging along.  All of this years students will get to sample some of the pumpkins and tomatos that will hopefully grow from the seedlings. 

Just think in years to come these little hands will be picking fruit from these trees.

Of course Bunnings is but one of the many wonderful supporters of the garden. The local Hireworks donated a hole digger for the weekend to make the actual planting a lot easier for the kids. Which actually meant it was a lot easier for the dear dad's that were roped into hole digging.

The most wonderful thing about community though, and I think this is the part that I love most, every little bit helps. All it takes is a little bit from everyone and before you know it the job is done and wonderful things have been created.

What is your favourite part of a community?

Joining Alicia's community for #openslather

A raining linky ramble

I have just spent the better part of the morning travelling around the blogosphere catching up on my blog commenting. Even though I said a few months ago I would be trying to cut down on my linking up to it really only lasted a week or two. I just couldn't seem to help myself.

image from here

As much as I wanted to see just how many people would stop by if I didn't go linking up all over the place, the practice just seemed to be a little harder than expected. What can I say it is just who I am.

Someone once asked me why I always attend whatever community event is happening at the school. I replied with "well if the school can go to the trouble of putting an event on the least I can do is attend." It is pretty much the same with the linky parties.

You see I figure if a blog I like goes to the trouble of hosting a linky it is the least I can do join in. Especially if I have noticed previously that not many people tend to. Yes folks I am still scared from my linking hosting experiences over at Making Time To Make It Matter. I had thought that with time I might have recovered more but apparently not yet. Sigh.

Aside from that I just love all the comment love that a good linky can bring.

Anyways I don't really want to write about all the linkies that I may or may not join in with because quite frankly that sounds a bit boring. What I do want to do though is just to write.

The kids are playing quitely, most of the housework is under control, well I have done the job here and there, everything is lining up perfectly for me to write. Except for the fact that my little brain is not really ready to come to the party. Apparently it is all blank and what have you.

Always the way though isn't it.

Just like it was the way last night when we went here, and it rained. An outdoor cinema where the seats are deck chairs. It is all kinds of awesome and on Thursdays they open the venue up to local community groups to fundraise. Last night Lovely's old basketball club was hosting the evening. They were screening Dispicible Me 3. Which most of the family had not seen yet.

At $30 for a family ticket we couldn't not go.

Even though the weather man has being saying all week that it would rain on Thursday I didn't believe him. After all the median rainfall for August is 0.0mm. It has not rained for months here. Which is nothing unusal given it is the dry season and all. Even if it is nearly the end of said dry season it still technically is the dry season. As such I expect to go out of an evening and not come home soaking wet.

As you can well imagine there is very little shelter at an outdoor cinema. Some people had the sense to take cover at the very first sign of a rain drop. Not I though. No. I sat there with a little mantra of please don't really rain going round and round my pretty little head. Tightly holding onto Teapot who was sitting on my lap who may or may not have been a somewhat of a shield from the rain.

Before you run off and report me for worst mother of the year, she was wrapped up in a few jumpers so not get *too* wet and I knew she had a dry change of clothes in the car. All good tropical mothers have changes of clothes in the car when the wet season is around. This was just a timely reminded that I need to make sure there are clothes for everyone.

Once it was evident that the rain was not going to dissipate my mantra changed to "A true territorian can sit out a bit of rain" I really wanted to keep watching the movie sitting down and the dry shelter was standing room only. Thankfully there is something quite lovely about the first tropical rains. There is a certain warmth to them that stops you from completely freezing like you would elsewhere.

But enough of the tropical rains because now that I have no more evening plans for the next few weeks I am sure that it will remain as dry as the bone it was supposed to. Always the way.

Are you patiently waiting for the weather to change?

Do you like linkies?

Joining in with Maxabella because I just couldn't resisit

Things I Know I Am Thankful For

It feels like forever and a day since I last wrote a Thankful Thursday post. Perhaps because it just about has been?
 Just in case curiosity gets the better of you as well my last thankful post was way back in April when I was thankful for getting the chance to hang with Samuel Johnson and the Love Your Sister crew. The post is here if you are interested

But enough living in the past and back to now. Well back to last week when the lovely Miss Cinders announced that she would be moving Things I Know to a Thursday rather than Friday. Which I think actually suits me a little more but as the link stays open for a whole week it doesn't make a whole lot of difference I guess, but now I am just rambling.

Anyway since I am super thankful for bloggers like Miss Cinders and Francesca (and all the others who host awesome linkies) it only seemed right to combine the both together.

I know I am always thankful for a good coffee

I know that even though I may not have publicly shared my thanks for a while it doesn't mean I haven't been thankful for a whole range of good fortune. From winning tickets to a concert, to being surrounded by lovely friends, and not to mention watching three delightful girls grow before my very eyes.

I know that I am thankful to have finally finished making this little video. I am also thankful that I had the opportunity, skills and time to make it. Not to mention, being super thankful for all the lovely comments I have been given regarding it.

I know that while I am super thankful to be the proud new owner of a flash fang dangled iron I am not necessarily inspired to iron on a more regular basis.

I know I am thankful that we have the opportunity to hang out at movies tonight as a family. The Deckchair Cinema is hosting a fundraising night for a local basketball team. They are showing Dispicable Me 2. At the normal cinemas it was just too expensive for us all to go but the Deckchair Cinema does family tickets for $30. Totally winning. 

I know I am thankful that when Mr Awesome comes home he never complains about how little housework I have done. And on the rare occassions that I have actually done some he not only notices but shows his appreciation as well.

I know that should possibly inspire me to do more but sadly it doesn't.

I know that I am thankful I managed to get this post finished before school pick time arrived. I may or may not have been a little late the other day because I just had to get my video post finished. This may or may not have been the same day I was proudly boasting at my ability to choose to take the children to school on time rather than make them late in a bid to finish that blasted video.

My inner 1950's Housewife reviews the Philips PerfectCare Aqua

So finally it is done and ready to go, my thoughts and experiences with the Philips PerfectCare Aqua

Hopefully it was worth the wait for those few that were waiting for my greatness to be unveiled.

Crazily enough I actually ended up with two possible clips. It was hard to decide which one to actually go with. but in the end this is the one that won.

In all seriousness though the Philips PerfectCare Aqua was quite nice to use. The iron did seem to just glide over the fabric and I loved that I didn't have to fuss around with settings or dials or the right temperature for the right fabric. If only it could actually glide over the fabric with out my arm powering it. Now there is an iron for me!

If you are interested in more details and nitty gritty of this amazing machine check out over here

My Inner 1950's Housewife

So if you are a regular and dedicated reader and follow me on various social media platforms yesterday you would have been privy to a rather exciting image. And when I say rather exciting I not over exaggerating on account of all the likes that were almost insantly given.

Awesome photo in question as seen on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Anyway when I shared the photo I promised that the next day would see more of this sparkling housewife. Specifically in the form of a vlog.

Yes that's right I had every intention of jumping out from behind the computer screen and in front of the  camera. Sadly we all know what can happen to the best of my intentions.

As it turns out my inner 1950's housewife is no more organised and together than the one I have trying to be for the last decade. Who would have thought?

In my and my inner 1950's housewife defence we were hit with a few unexpected surprises which delayed the already left to the last minute attempt of awesome. Things like children not going to sleep as quickly and easily as they are supposed to and a very drull year seven politics and government research booklet due in two days ago. Not to mention a lorrikeet with some long strands of something or other tied around her feet.

It most certainly had nothing to do with me not quite remembering how to use my video editing program or looking at myself too critically and thinking that perhaps behind the screen is much more advisable than in front of the camera. No siree none of that. Well maybe just a little.

Now I can hear the sighs of disappointment from here but try not to let the waves of sorrow overwhelming you because all is not lost. While there may be no video for you to watch right this very instant there will be. One day. I hope.

No seriously I have spent far too long thinking about this little beauty to not follow it through now. It may not exactly be the Oscar winning clip I first expected it to be but I am sure it will still manage to raise a wee giggle here and there.

So I am sure it is with baited breath that I leave you paitently waiting, but rest assured my 1950's inner housewife will be gracing a YouTube channel near you before long. While you are waiting head on over to Essentially Jess and join in all the fun of IBOT

Monday Mention - America For Alyssa

At some point in my blogging journey I recall that of a Monday I would join in a little thing called Monday Mention. It was hosted by Tammy over at Ramblings Of A Brokenhearted Mummy and as a relative newbie blogger at the time I thought it was a great way to not only share some blogging love but also discover new blogs that I could dream to aspire to.

The idea of Monday Mention was to share some bloggy love and mention any blogs or blog posts that had caught your eye the previous week. Sadly though it was not exactly a well attended linky and before long I drfited on to other things.

Today I thought that I might resurect the good old Monday Mention but with a slight twist. To start with it won't be a linky, it will just be me mentioning whatever it is that has tickled my fancy. It may also not be the most regular of things, just as the mood strikes or whenever I come across something I just can't help but mention.

So what is it this week that I just have to mention and share with you all?

America For Alyssa

I first came across Alyssa's story thanks to Carmen a few weeks ago. I instantly liked the America For Alyssa Facebook page and offered to spread the word as far as I could. Which essentially meant I planned on writing a blog post because that is the furtherest way to spread my word. (Though if I continue to use words like furtherest in that sense I may cease to spread at all).

Anyways I imagine at this point you haven't clicked through the links yet and are wondering who is Alyssa and what has America got to do for her.

Well Alyssa is a surving craniopagus cojoined twin. She and her sister Bethany were born 2001. Which just so happens to be the same year that Lovely was born in case you were wondering, though you probably weren't. The reason why I bring it up is because Alyssa and Bethany were actually born within a month of Lovely. For the life of me though I can not remember hearing anything about it.

Nor can I recall  hearing of their emergency surgery a month later. Sadly Bethany lost her fight for life soon after this and Alyssa endured twenty three and half hours of surgery including not one but two cardiac arrests. Again I was in such a new baby bubble I was oblivious to it all. So much so that I missed not one but two reports shown on Sixty Minutes in the months after the twins birth.

In case you are interested the stories can be found here to save you the search

The Nolan Twins
The Nolan Twins Part Two

Having just watched them both now though, I can understand why as a new mum I may have blocked it all out. She says as she wipes the tears away.

One thing that I couldn't help but notice, both in the interviews and through the Facebook page is the courage and determination that Mary, Alyssa's mum, faces all that is before her with. As well as Bethany and Alyssa, Mary also has three wonderful sons.

Next year will see the first ever meeting of Families of Conjoined Twins held in Kansaa USA. One can only image what it would be like for Mary and Alyssa to catch up with people in a similar boat to theirs. Hence America For Alyssa.

Getting to America is not going to be an easy process. The funds needed are in order of $20, 000. Which for anyone is fair wad of cash. Mary and Alyssa are not asking for individual handouts because Mary knows how everyone is facing their own financial hardships. What they would really love though is as many Facebook likes on their page as possible. Something we can all easily help out with!

The more Facebook likers the more likely a large scale sponsor. So what are you waiting for go and get liking the America for Alyssa page.

Things I Know About Things I Know

 Today I though it would be a bit of fun to share all the things I know about the wonderful link up called Things I Know. Exciting huh?

Things I Know (TIK) was one of the first link ups that I ever joined in with. In fact my very first TIK post remains one of my most viewed posts ever. Which for a while made me cringe just a little because of it's simplicity. Now however I marvel at how little has changed in the past few years.

I know that under the tag TIK I have a total of 48 posts.

I know that I was a little surprised that there were only 48. I thought that I had been a more regular knower. Maybe I just haven't tagged them all?

I know that if I had more time and inclination I would trail through my 700+ posts and see just how many untagged TIK posts there were. Anyone with nothing better to do want to check it out for me?

I know that these are what have been deemed by my readers as my best read TIK Posts.

Things I Know About Breast Cancer
Things I Know about reality, holding onto it and having it slap you in the face
Things I Know About Blogging
Things I Know About Love Your Sister Supporters
Things I Know About Blogging Awards, Me and Life Itself
Things I Know About Dentists
Things I Know - Nothing like leaving it till the last minute
More Things I Know About Running
Thirty Awesome Things I Know About Me

I know that I have really enjoyed scouring through my old posts. It is something that is on my to do list but rarely do I ever seem to have time to actually do it.

Not that I actually have time to do it now because the alarms telling me that school pick up is here are ringing all over the place. Yes I have alarms telling me when I need to go and get children because otherwise I know I will more than likely forget.

I know that I can totally understand why only 11 people have ever read this TIK post. I know that there are probably 50 other posts on the blog that are not dissimillar to it.

I know that I am now officially late so off I must go.

Secret Subject Swap Reveal - 1

Astute and observant regular readers would have noticed a little badge appear in my side bar the other week.

In case you missed it it looks a little like this

Ok so it looks a lot like that, because that is it.

Secret Subject Swap is the brain child of Emily who can be found here and here. She asked myself and a bunch of other uber cool bloggers, (a full list is at the end of the post) if we were interested in setting some secret writing prompts for each other and all publishing on the same day. Given my desire to challenge myself as a writer whenever possible I jumped at the chance. Plus I am always a fan of anything secret, but who isn't?

So today is the day on which we are all to unveil our secret prompts. Mine was given to me by the ever lovely Josefa from always Josefa. 

Image from here
Painted by Craig Orback

“His talent was as natural as the pattern that was made by the dust on a butterfly's wings. At one time he understood it no more than the butterfly did and he did not know when it was brushed or marred. Later he became conscious of his damaged wings and of their construction and he learned to think and could not fly any more because the love of flight was gone and he could only remember when it had been effortless.”

This quote was said by Ernest Hemingway in reference to Scott Fitzgerald. I encourage you to interpret, write, prose, describe or philosophise in any way you like as a response to this quote.

Deep huh?

Now full credit to Josefa because she gave me this some what complex prompt with plenty of time to think it all over and come up with something truly wonderful. Which I promise I had every intention of doing. Honest, I did.

When I first read it I was totally excited because I thought it was just the excuse I was looking for to re-read The Great Gatsby. I fondly recall devouring the pages back when I was a university student. With the recent release of the latest movie version I had been thinking of doing so anyway but had just not quite got around to it. Surprisingly, or not, I still haven't managed to pull it off the book shelf.

Nor did I get around to researching what else old Ernest had to say. Or anyone else for that matter. Technically I could get up and turn the internet on and have a look now but I lost interest at the getting up part. It is the end of another long day after all. Plus with the internet on I am not likely to be able to resist the time void that is Facebook (but please come and like my page). Tragic I know but in my defence I have been resisting the temptations of evil ALL. DAY. LONG.

I have however pondered greatly on how Josefa came across the quote and what prompted her to pass it on to me. Did she simply Google butterfly and go from there? I mean that makes sense because I like butterflies (but again who doesn't?) Or is there more to it than that? Was it perhaps a prompt that she herself was given at some point in time. Such a crafter writer as her is bound to have completed at least a course or two at some point. 

Needless to say I then question all that I am. Wonder whether the prompt I passed onto Ashely cut the mustard. Did she struggle with it as much as I with mine? Did she curse me and my stupid prompt like I may or may not have? Was it completely off the mark and not what was expected? Should I even be a part of such a group?

Nothing like a dose of self doubt to get the creative juices flowing. Or not.

The distracted procrastinator in me then kicks in and the original train of thought is completely gone and long forgotten. My post still a blank canvas and my mind in much the same state.

I go back and read the quote again. For the umpteenth time I might add. Desperate to try and find something, anything that I make into a worthy post and hold onto the hope there is a chance for me and this writing gig.

“His talent was as natural as the pattern that was made by the dust on a butterfly's wings. At one time he understood it no more than the butterfly did and he did not know when it was brushed or marred. Later he became conscious of his damaged wings and of their construction and he learned to think and could not fly any more because the love of flight was gone and he could only remember when it had been effortless.”

I can't help but wonder if my own wings are perhaps a little damaged. Only if they are, I hope the dust can once again be brushed on to them and I can go back to it being effortless. Life in general of late has been far from effortless, but that is not what I want to get caught up in now.Right now I want to get caught up on dissecting all the different ways Hemmingway's words could be interpreted regarding his friend. 

But alas 'tis now late and this post long enough for now.

Other Secret Subject Swappers include

Melissa Writes

JFGibson

The Wolfe's Den

Imagine Create Write

always Josefa

Ghostnapped

My Little Sunshine House

In the water

Climbing over the rocks between her and the water's edge proved to be a little trickier than Sally first anticipated. Between the heat of the day and her body trying to process the excess toxins from the night before Sally was suddenly a little uneasy on her feet.

Gingerly she placed her foot on the smooth rock, hoping that she would not slid right off. As flat as the rock may have been it was not exactly on the best angle for walking on. Before long though Sally had managed to safely negotiate her way into the water.

The relief that the water brought was both instant and all that Sally thought it would be. It was like her body absorbed the sweet liquid by osmosis. There was no more hot sticky heat. There was no more beads of perspiration trying to break free from the pores of her skin. There was no more throbbing or pounding amongst her brain cells.

In fact there was no more discomfort in any shape or form. It was almost like the water had magical properties.

Laying on top of the water Sally idly floated on her back. The water was starting to chill her previously hot body. The sun on her stomach was a stark contrast to the muscles in her back that were beginning to contract due coolness in the water.

Swishing her hands below her buttocks in a loose figure eight to stay afloat Sally inhaled the fresh air till she could feel it reach the bottom of her lungs. There was something invigorating about bush air. Sally imagined all the little particles of oxygen invading her blood stream and giving new life to the alcohol damaged fibres within her.

Exhaling Sally pushed the air out of her newly filled lungs. Making sure there was not a drop in there she repeated the process a few more times. Spreading her arms and legs out like a starfish Sally moved them in and out in time with her breathing. Each time she inhaled she vislualised her body being filled with fresh new life. With each exhale she saw all the stresses, worries and burdens leaving. Giving an extra big puff at the end to ensure they were all blown away for good. As if it were all that easy.

Feeling slightly invigorated and a lot cooler than when she entered the water Sally was now beginning to feel a little pruney. Her wrinkled finger tips confirmed that she had probably obsorbed enough water for the time being. Flipping over to her stomach Sally headed back to the bank and her towel. Her head felt clear enough now to concentrate on her book.

Things I Know About Confessing To Being An Easily Distracted Procrastinator

As I potter around trying to see to the never ending to-do list that is always waiting to be done, I generally allow my mind to wander as it chooses. Which essentially means that I day dream about all the wonderful blog posts that I wish I could be writing instead of half heartedly doing whatever it is I am supposed to be doing.

Some of these wonderful blog posts that I think of, may actually make it to being written. Which is a pretty big achievement considering I have the attention span of a gnat. Though I have wondered what kind of attention span gnats actually have. Most people say the attention span of a goldfish but my parents always told me I wasn't like everyone else. Which at the time I was actually really disappointed about, now however more than slightly relieved, but none of that is really relevant right now I guess...

Other ideas, in fact possibly most of them, however are not nearly as fortunate. The vast majoritity of my brilliance seems get lost amongst the abyss that is my mind at times. I tend to have a bit of a flow through policy on my mind. In that most things just tend to float on through the space occupied between my ears. There is so much floating through that sometimes there is just too much momentum for anything to stop and stick. Just one of the many joys of being an easily distracted procrastinator I guess. Or a mother. I am not sure which is really responsible for the abundance of thoughts that float on by.

One thing I do know though is that there is absolutely no denying that I am an easily distracted procrastinator. The very fact that Things I Know goes live on Fridays and I am only getting around to knowing something on Monday is testament to that. Just between me and you I did think about holding it off till the end of this week but then what would I write about today?

I know that I must confess that I am only writing this now because the editing work I have to do is just so tiresome and boring.

Just in case you doubted the tiresomeness I was referring to.

And as boring as it may be it is slightly more appealing than the washing, folding or dishes that are patiently waiting for me to get to. Luckily, for both them and me, all of the afore menitioned are experts in the patience department. Based on all the experience they get waiting to be done they must be.

But I digresss, I am meant to be confessing all the things I know about being an easily distracted procrastinator... Now where was I?

Oh look something shiney...

So much sadness

There's an opening line that is bound to get the readers in, in droves. Or not.

Sorry for the rather dreary title (that will quite possibly lead to an equally dreay post, too early to say though as we are only at the start) but it can not be helped. As much as I would like it to be all sunshines and rainbows sadly life just isn't like that sometimes.

The good news, well the good news for me at least, is that the sadness has not been experienced first hand. It has been felt from a distance as I watch grief and sorrow wash through, tearing families apart and leaving communities in tears.

On Monday a young girl tragically had her mother snatched away from her. And when I say young girl I mean a beautiful innocent five year old. And when I say snatched I mean a tragic and somewhat freak accident that saw a young woman (26) lose her life way to early.

Simone Montgomerie was leading the pack in race six at The Darwin Cup when the horse she was riding baulked and threw the talented jockey to the ground. Montgomerie had just been crowned Darwin Jockey of the Year. The first female to have the honour.

This days after the local newspaper's front page is splashed with a horrific single vechile car crash that killed a mother and two children. The father and a third child remained in hospital. Today's paper saying something about a last text. I couldn't bring myself to open the cover and read more about it.

That paper has seen enough of my tears these last few days. Hidden amongst the back pages where the death notices lay. A young boy this time lost far, far, far too soon. Perhaps the most tragic and sad of them all. My heart just breaks and my stomach churns when I think of it all.

My mind has been trying not to go into over drive. Wondering how his mother didn't just stop breathing herself when she found him? Wondering how long it had been since she last checked on him? And how many times she will beat herself up for not checking on him sooner...and...

Enough.

It really does make my head start to hurt if I think about it for too long. Or at all. As soon as I start thinking about it, it leads to too long. Not that I mean or want to trivialise these terrible loss of lives, it's just if I don't keep my empathy in check I tend to forget that this is all the grief of others and not my own to own.

To all those who have lost a loved one recently, or even at all, my heart goes out to you, may fairy wishes and butterfly kisses surround you in your time of need