Things I Know About Being Grumpy and Growly

 Now it is more than fair to say that things have been a little on the down side here of late. Which I must say I do kinda hate. Actually hate is not really a word I like to use all that often but the rhymer in me couldn't let that opportunity slip on by.

I know that I tried yesterday to not be so grumpy when I did my Thankful Thursday Post but I do kinda get the feeling that the grumps still shone through a little more than I would have liked

I know that the rational side of my brain, albeit a very small part, is telling me that my grumps are as justified as grumps can be.

I know that there is are much larger part of me that doesn't think grumps are ever really justified, even if they are caused by ridiculous amounts of stress and nearly thirteen year olds that make you question why you ever thought mothering was a great idea.

I know that said nearly thirteen year old is probably reacting to her own levels of stress and worry based on my current moods but it would be nice if she could just let up for a teeny tiny bit.

I know that nearly thirteen year olds are meant to buck the system, try your patiences, test the boundaries and all the rest of it, but do they really need to do it every waking minute of every single day?

I know that there has been far too much growling and grumping in this house of late.

I know that for it too change I must be the first to do so.

I know that is easier said than done.

I know that it is hard for me not to beat myself black and blue.

I know that I don't really deserve a black and blue beating, maybe just a small kick up the backside.

I know that I wish some rather inspirational words on a beautiful picture would just appear before my eyes to include in this post.

I know that I did actually see some great words earlier today on Facebook, something about holding onto anger hurt only yourself. Or words to that effect.

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured"
- Mark Twain

I know that is not  the quote I saw this morning but I still like it. A lot.

I know that Mark Twain fellow had some very wise words in him. Though I can't help but wonder if he had children when he wrote this. Because I am pretty sure the anger poured upon children does more damage to them than the mother doing the storing and pouring. Shit I am terrible. I must be I just swore on the blog and so hardly ever do that...

I know that the text on the picture is probably going to be to small to read if you are on a mobile device. Sorry. I am quickly running out of time to get this up before I must reluctantly return to the real world as opposed the blissfulness I have found inside the blogosphere today.

I know there were a few times I didn't find blissful peace in the blogosphere, like when I have to go through captcha to leave a comment. Or worse still I visit a blog that joined in with a linky and didn't leave a link back to the owner. Oh my hairs and whiskers.

I know that I shouldn't let the whole no link back thing get to me. I don't know why it does, it just does. Etiquette peoples, please have some.

I know that having said that I must point out that I am joining in all the fun and games of Things I Know hosted by the one and only Miss Cinders. And you should too!

Thankful I got my gear off

Well another week has flown on by. On this time I feel frazzled and worn out and quite frankly there is no real reason why. It is also the first week since I have taken over the ranks of Thankful Thursday hosting that I felt like going to hell with it all, what does it really matter any way?

I am glad though, that is not the path that I opted for.

As grumpy and crotchety as I may feel, I still have so much to be thankful for and perhaps by stopping to think about it I may just manage to snap myself out of it sooner rather than later.

I am thankful that I have finally shared a photo for Naked Tuesday. I have mentioned before how wonderful I think Craig's attitude about life is and with the arrival of my very own Naked Tuesday photo on Tuesday (of all days) I realised there was no time like the present.

I am super thankful to have received so many positive comments about my photo as well.

I am thankful that I now have not one but two appointments with specialists regarding my arm and its' silly clot. After having a mini meltdown in the chemist and then the doctors office on Tuesday because 5 injections were going to cost me the same as what 10 had been, the powers that be finally saw to me getting an appointment with a private specialist next week. The kind receptionist informed that I had skipped a rather long waiting list.

I then returned home, checked the mail and discovered a letter from the hospital had finally arrived letting me know I had an appointment next week.

I am thankful to now be able to get two more opinions on the matter.

I am thankful that we have private health insurance which allows me seek both opinions and not really completely on the public system. Though I guess until next week I won't know exactly how thankful for either I really am.

I am thankful that Mr Awesome has been incredibly awesome in the understanding department when it has come to my erratic moods of the last two days. Apparently the stress of it all hit me like a brick wall when I finally received my highly anticipated appointments and I fell into a thousand little pieces of grumpy worry.

Not that I like to wish my life away but boy will I be glad to finally see some specialists next week.

I am thankful that the dentist I discovered the other week is all kinds of awesome, it makes going back to see him as regularly as what I currently need to a little bit easier.

I am thankful that I was able to find some chocolate covered pretzels in the fridge. As Miss Cinders will attest, chocolate and blogging go hand in hand.

Most of all though I am thankful to all of you who take the time to stop by and say hi. Especially those that take the time to share their own thanks and read the thanks of others.

Speaking of which...

An InLinkz Link-up

Oh and just one more thing, today sees me traipsing back to the dentist and then off to work, I will comment and share your posts on Friday though. Thanks once again for joining in

On climbing Mount Everest

Some days coming up with something to write about feels much like what I imagine climbing Mount Everest would feel like. Arduously hard work that requires searching the inner depths of your soul and digging internally deeper than you ever imagined possible.

Image from here
From someone who really has
climbed Everest

Of course the joy and elation at reaching the top of the summit is much like the emotions experienced when that something you have written is well received once read. Especially if it is so well received that readers are motivated to comment and share.

Other days when sitting in front of the big magic screen that is my Mac, words seem to spew forth at great knots. Appearing to cover the blank screen with the ease of a natural flow. Little thought feels needed and there is no doubt that my career as an esteemed writer is all but set in stone.

Mind you these are generally the same days that it appears as if everyone has forgotten my web address and my words of wisdom feel like they slip by completely unnoticed. Oh the tragedy I know.

Lately I have been experiencing a combination of climbing Everest yet without the elation. Which has made the whole sitting down to write thing a whole lot harder than I would like it to be. Combined with the whole working and raising a family thing writing, blogging and any time in front of the computer has been harder than I possibly thought it would be.

There is not enough room for all the sighing I want to get out.

In twenty minutes I will once again be setting off for a doctor's appointment. It is my third or maybe fourth in not that many weeks. Which for someone who doesn't really do doctors, you can only imagine the angst that all these appointments are causing me. Especially since thrown in amongst it all there is the dentist to deal with as well.

Not to mention the fact that one doctor claims it is all rather important I get the whole clot in my arm worked out sooner rather than later. Yet I can't seem to get anyone else to actually get me an appointment with a specialist who may be able to shed some more light on what can be done.

See I told you there was not enough room for all the sighing I want need to get out.

And like I am not whinging and whining enough, but did I mention I recently had to say goodbye to a dear friend?

Thankfully not in the she is gone forever never to be seen again type of goodbye, just the she has moved to the other end of the country type of goodbye. Which is all kinds of sucky let me tell you.

In looking for a bright side though, because there is always a bright side, when we go on our trip of a life time, when we get to her neck of the woods we will have a place to stay. So yay for that!

Continuing on with the cheery bright side, I now also have something to join in IBOT with AND in the time it has taken for me to get this out (which may be all day but whatever) a specialist has finally gotten back to me and agreed that I could skip most of the waiting list and get seen next week! Oh yay, oh yay, oh yay!

What's been going on with you?

Thankful for the soldiers

A replica fighter plane from 1942

Yesterday marked a rather important date in the history of little old Darwin.

It was the 72nd anniversary of the day that the perils of war hit the Australian shore.


Just before ten o'clock on the morning of 19th February 1942, the same commander responsibly for the attack on Pearl Harbour just ten weeks earlier, led 54 land based bombers and approximately 188 attack aircraft to assault the Northern Territory's capital city. Heavy bombers pattern-bombed the harbour and town followed by Zero fighters attacking the military and civil aerodromes as well as the hospital at Berrimah.

The attacked lasted around forty minutes and was then followed by a second onslaught an hour later which involved high altitude bombing of the Royal Australian Air Force base at Parap. This lasted for around a further 25 minutes. In all at least 243 people were killed in these first two attacks and between 300-400 were wounded. A total of twenty military aircraft were destroyed. Eight ships at anchor in the harbour were sunk and most of both the civil and military facilities in Darwin were destroyed.

These air attacks on the Northern capital continued until November 1943. During this time the Japanese bombed Darwin 64 times.

A modern day soldier dressed in his predecessors uniform
as part of the re-enactment held to commemorate the bombing of Darwin

More photos on how Darwin celebrates this important day in history can be found here

Today I am thankful for all those who tried to defend the city that I now call home. I am also incredibly thankful for each and every member of our armed forces. Be they Army, RAAF or Navy they are all equally awesome in my book.

Signing up to a career that could quite possibly led to combat is nothing to be sneezed at and takes a certain amount of bravery and courage. I have nothing but total admiration for the men and women that are prepared to fight for their (our) country. And just between you and me I have known a few of them in my time and they are all amazing.

I am also thankful that war is not something we in Australia need to worry about on a daily basis. Every year Darwin is home to numerous military training exercises. Living rather close to the air base I am reminded of what it must be like to actually live in a war zone. I am thankful that the planes I hear flying overhead are there just for practise and there is no threat of them dropping bombs upon me.

What are you thankful for this week?

An InLinkz Link-up

Writer's Reveal - Advertising

Last time we met for Writer's Reveal it looked as if it would be no more. Our fearless leader at the time Emily M, had decided that blogging was no longer something she could squeeze into her action packed life. Thankfully though a fellow Emily offered to step in and take the reins to keep the little group together. Yay!!!

I am not sure how this dude fits in with the post but I
needed a picture and he sure is cute

After a bit of in house discussion we decided to make a few minor changes, the first of which being the day on which it was held. Due to my hosting of Thankful Thursday each week (which you should totally come and join in by the way), Thursday was not all that great for me. Thankfully, everyone else was happy with a change and Tuesday soon became the new day. Which works particularly well for me as it means I can do the old double whammy and join it in with IBOT over at Essentially Jess.

The other change put in place was rather than we give each other topics each month it was decided that we all try writing on the same topic and take turns each month in selecting the prompt. Since Emily had became our new driving force, she chose the first topic.

And what a great prompt she chose.

So on that note I guess I had best get on with the task at hand.

Advertising

 Advertising has always been of interest to me. My first jobs were all sales based and by the time I had my second go at studying at university I had ditched the arty farty degree and was heading down the sure fire line to success of a business degree majoring in marketing. 

Though as it turned out I still wasn't quite ready to be the student I needed to be to actually study enough to get the degree done. The marketing side of the degree was great I loved learning about consumer behaviour and how to get inside the customer's head to ensure that sale. The accounting side of the business degree however, beyond boring and uninteresting. Needless to say I am still without a degree.

Sigh. 

Needless also to say I am stumped at what to write. 

I had planned on rehashing a speech I wrote twenty years ago because my hazy memory thought it was related to advertising. After spending an hour tearing the house apart trying to find it last night I suddenly remembered that the title was actually English - Dead or Alive? And quite possibly had little to nothing to do with advertising. 

Double sigh. 

In my defense though it was an award winning speech and saw me crowned the Plain English Speaker for the state that year. Go me. 

So back to the here and now and writing about advertising. 

One would think it would have been simple enough given how much advertising is implanted into our daily lives. Every where we turn these days some form of advertising is being shoved down our throats. In both sublte and non subtle ways. Reality television shows have taken brand placement advertising to whole new levels leaving the consumer unsure of what it authentic or not. 

Meanwhile poor old little bloggers trying to cash in on the opportunity to advertise through sponsored posts are hauled over the coals for not being transparent enough in declaring whether they make money or not from mentioning a product.Tis a tough life sometimes in the fickle land of advertising. 

For me though my biggest issue with advertising is the falseness it portrays. Take Coke ads for example. If you are in a Coke ad your life is miracously transformed into one of fun and excitement. The reality of drinking it though is your end up obese and toothless. Which is possibly why I never made it to being a cut throat high flying advertising executive. The lies and misinformation was too much for this ethical peace loving hippy to endure. 

So what's your take on advertising? Love it or loathe it?

Make sure you head on over to my Writers Reveal buddies below and see what they think as well 

Melissa Writes

The Wolfe's Den

Imagine Create Write

Ghostnapped

You learn something new everyday

Have a laugh on me

Thankful for beautiful people

Two days ago when I was thinking of what I could possibly be thankful for this week I was drawing a blank. Which I can tell you distressed me no end because I of all people know that there is always something to be thankful for. It is one of the reason I so desperately wanted to take on this wonderful, linky.

Thankfully though my moment of not being able to see the thanks was short lived and it wasn't long before I back to my normal thankful self.

Of course getting these beauties helped me no end.

I was thankful not just because I was sent flowers, but thankful that someone in my life thought so much of me they wanted nothing else than to make me smile. Which it did. A lot. Once I got through the tears that such a gorgeous gesture also brought me.

The world really is full of beautiful people and I am thankful for those that have crossed my path in one way or another.

People like Sam. Who today will be completing his journey of a life time. A journey that will not only have changed his life but women everywhere as he courageously endeavoured to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.

People like Beth. Our paths may not have crossed as such but I am so thankful that her story popped up in my news feed. Beth likes to see herself as a breast cancer preventer rather than survivor. I like to simply just call her awesome. 

People like Jimmy. A young man determined to make a difference. Again someone who I know of through only the power of the web but I am thankful to have stumbled across him. Words can not begin to describe how heartwarming I find it to discover such selfless people who just want to make the world a little bit better in any way they can.

People like Craig. An inspiration to just keep on keeping on and give life all that you have. Yes another person who has crossed my path rather than our paths actually crossing but I am thankful to know of him nonetheless.

There is a part of me that feels this list could almost go on forever, but end it I must so that you can share your thanks as well. Are there beautiful people you are thankful for?

An InLinkz Link-up

Goodbye, so long, farewell

Darwin has long been touted as one of the most transient capital cities. As a long tern local it is something that I can personally attest to as well. For many years as I was growing up it felt as if all I was ever doing was saying goodbye to people. Families would get transferred here for a few years and then when their time was done, they would be sent to somewhere else. It was just the way things worked.

Of course we never got sent anywhere else because my parents had willingly chosen to be here. There had been no company transfer to prove your worth or anything like that. With the booming building industry of a city that desperately needed rebuilding and then continued to grow and grow Dad was never without work so there was never even a reason to consider leaving.

And honestly why would you want to leave a lifestyle like this?

On top of that he and my mum both loved the tropical relaxed laid back way of life. There was no way there were ever giving it up to return to the hustle and bustle of a big city. Which I can totally understand and relate to. The mere thought of a hustling bustling big city makes me want to go and hide in a corner.

As I got older I found myself wanting to join the ranks of leavers. If everyone else thought there was somewhere better to be then maybe there was something to it. So I studied hard, certain that acceptance to an interstate university was my only ticket out of town.

However before I got there, I had the chance to do some travelling of my own. Not a lot, but enough to let me know that I was already lucky enough to be living in one of the most wonderful places on earth.

Over time I said goodbye to every single one of my friends from school and my first failed attempt at university. Over the same time I slowly began to be more selective in who I would let into my inner circles of friendships. I didn't see the point in investing too much time or energy into someone who was only going to leave me.

Sadly this meant I found myself without any real friends. Which I acted like I was ok with. Who needs lots of people in their life anyway? By this time I had Mr Awesome so in so many ways I thought I had all that I needed.

Of course I didn't though.

By the time Lovely was five and Zany was on the scene I began to realise the importance of having friends. Not just for myself but for the girls as well. Slowly I began looking for some and opening myself up. It was a long and slow process. Not aided by my reluctance either.

In 2011 I decided to throw caution to the wind and actively sought to find new life long friends. It was a wonderful experience and I while I may not have discovered the new bestie I was hoping for I no longer felt alone or even lonely. It also gave me the confidence to keep slowly letting people in.

Somewhere along the line I stopped looking so hard and just let things be. As great as 2011 had been for finding and making new friends, there weren't too many actual keepers in there. I wasn't going to spend 2012 in the same manner so I backed off on the friendship hunt.

Only would you believe it? When I wasn't even looking I somehow managed to stumble across someone who I truly connected with in so many ways. In fact from our first catch up I walked away feeling like I had just spent hours with a best friend. If of course I was the type to have best friends.

Anyway I am sure by now you have worked out what comes next.

Yep she is now on the road out of town and quickly too.

Despite my total and utter devastation I don't really hold it against her. I know that it is in her family's best interest. I know that where she is off to she will be faced with great opportunity and a wonderful life but right now it is so hard to see past my own sadness.

Which I know is so, so so incredibly selfish. Especially since in six months time I would have been the one leaving her. But I just can't help it. The mere thought of saying goodbye to her sends me to tears. Ridiculous over emotional tears that I just can't stop.

And yes I have heard of Skype and all those modern fang dangled ways of staying in contact but they are not the same. Not when it is the only way to stay in contact with just about every single person that you love and care for.

joining Jess and the gang for IBOT

also part of the Digital Parents Blog Carnival hosted by Mrs D plus 3

Snapshots of Us - Week 4

So I know that the whole idea of Snapshots of Us was so that I could make sure I had regular photos of us all but those who know me well will know that rarely do my plans actually go as intended. And this is no exception.

Luckily though it is my blog and I can change the rules as I please and see fit. Which means that Snapshots of Us is  no longer a purely photographic series. It will also serve as a way for me to jot down and remember some of the things I may other wise forget. Though I doubt there is little that I would actually forget this week.

To say it has been a big here for us in the real world is quite possibly an understatement.

Firstly I went back to official employment for the first time in over eight years. Just a casual position at the local video store but the money will be beyond handy.

Next I discovered I have a blood clot in my left basilic vein. Which sounds awful but since I wasn't rushed to hospital I am thinking is not so terrible. Or at least that is what I am hoping. 

The following day I enrolled myself I a Bachelor of Professional Writing and Publication which is a bit exciting. I am hoping it is third time lucky in the degree stakes. 

Then out of nowhere Zany gets a raging fever and starts vomiting. Three days later I see some suspicious spots under her arm. Mr Awesome is taking her to the doctors as we speak. Which would ordinarily fall on my shoulders however I have my first real shift and refused to call in sick. And yes it does appear as if Teapot will follow her big sister down the measles path. Though I am praying my fears are wrong. 

In amongst it all I have been hit with insomnia. Which gave me plenty of time to whip this beauty out

It is also the only photo I have of any of us this week. 

Exhale. 

What else?

Oh that's right one if the few people who I really deeply connect with in person will be leaving town before the end of the month. Cue devastation. Selfishly all I want to do is cry over the matter. I totally understand why it is happening and I know come six months time I would have been leaving her stranded as we go on our trip of a lifetime but it still leaves me so sad. If I were to be the type of person who had a best friend she woe undoubtably be my pick. 

So there you have it. My week in a nutshell. 

What's been going down with you?

Things I Know About Running Off With Someone Else's Linky

Poor Miss Cinders is not feeling the best. She has caught the dreaded lurgy that has been infecting her kids all week long and is so unwell she can't even think about looking at her computer to share some of what she knows.

Then to make things even worse her silly phone had a hissy fit and wouldn't let her post on her Facebook page explaining there would be no Things I Know this week. She asked if I would be so kind as to leave a message on her wall to let everyone know what was going on. Which of course I was only too happy to do.

Until I had a brain wave and realised I could do one better than that.

I could just host the linky myself! After all it is not like I haven't before.

So here I am unofficially running off with Things I Know this week. I say unofficially because while I did tell Miss C that is what I was gong to do, I didn't exactly wait for her ok to go ahead with it. But I am pretty sure that she would be a pleased as punch.

You see I know how much she loves me (and I her for that matter)

See, nothing but lots of love there

I know that the moment Miss Cinders and I met in real life I felt like I was in the company of a bestie I had known all my life.

I know that I hate the fact we live at opposite ends of the country and are both too poor (financially and time wise) to hang out with each other on a regular basis.

I know that when we go on our trip of a life time we will be stopping by to see the lovely Miss C.

I know that neither Mr Awesome or Miss Cinders were aware of that before this moment.

I know that there are actually lots of people that I want to drop in and see as we travel round.

I know that I should have gone to the trouble of putting the watermark on that photo in the white bar.

I know that it is too late for me to fuss around with such things.

I know being told you have a blood clot really throws you for six.

I know that in the scheme of blood clots mine appears to be one of the least worrying ones. Which is great because I am prone to being a worrier at the best of times over some things.

I know having to give myself injections is not fun.

I know I have not actually been able to inject myself so far.

I know that Mr A did a much better job tonight at jabbing me than he did last night.

I know I jinxed myself yesterday when I said I was thankful for children who went to bed without fuss.

I know fighting with children over going to sleep is one of the most frustrating things ever.

I know that going to work today was kinda exciting.

I know I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the whole serving customers and being around people.

I know I wondered how long that might last for.

I know I have probably rabbited on for long enough and now it is your turn to share in the things you know!







Oh and I also know that going and liking The Miss Cinders Facebook page would totally brighten up her day

Thankful Thursday - The short & sweet edition

Hello and welcome to another round of Thankful Thursday.

Over the last few days life has been a bit of a whirlwind. So much so that I am sitting here a little dazed and confused and not really sure where to begin.

So without further ado I am just going to get straight into.

This week I am thankful for

• finally getting my act together and putting my resume in at the local video store that was looking for staff
  
• said video store liking what they saw and offering me a position
  
• my mother returning home in time to look after the children so I can start said position
  
• living in a country that offers affordable medical services and supplies
  
• a wonderful husband that drops everything to be by my side when I need him most
  
• the fact that my wonderful husband has an employer that allows him to drop everything to be by my side when I need it most
  
• a kind friend who sent me texts when I was in need
  
• children that go to sleep without fuss
  
• days of endless rain, yes crazy I know but I find the monsoonal season rather soothing for my soul
  
• children realising that yes they do need to do as I ask, sure the when is a little bit how you going but baby steps are better than no steps
  
• children that settle into the daily grind of school
  
• beautiful bloggers that take the time to share their thanks

What about you? 

What are you thankful for this week?

Oh the emo.

With January done and dusted and Feburary already on the way I am sure it won't be too long before I find myself only days away from embarking on trip of a life time. Which just between you and me does send my heart into slight palpitations.

Not because I don't want to go, because I do, more than anything. In fact waiting till July may actually be some sort of silent torture that I fail to remain silent on. The cause of my palpitations is money. I am starting to worry about how on this green earth we are going to be able to afford not working for twelve months.

Saving has never been one of my strongest points.

Actually anything that involves dedication or commitment or any type of patiences is not really my strong point. But then again right now in my current frame of mind I would probably fail to think of any strong point I may have. Well at least a positive one.

Exhale.

Deep breath in.

Repeat.

Of course deep down I know that is not true, I have all kinds of amazing strong points. Not only that but the fact that I have kept this little old blog running for so long quite possibly means I do have some inkling of dedication or commitment...maybe.

I guess that was why the writing every day in January was of such importance to me. It was my own internal benchmark for knowing I had actually done something on a regular basis. While there are three days without a post here, not to mention a few days of frenzied back posting as I approached the middle of my quest, I am still going to call it a raging success.

For while I may not have got here for those three days, I was posting elsewhere and I also managed to compile a page with links to some of my greatest and finest posts. Well at least according to me. So on many levels I guess that is a kind of winning.

As is the fact that February is off to a flying start!

Snapshots of Us Week 3

As I mentioned last week I love the idea of making sure I take at least one photo of the girls each and every week, just linking in with Practising Simplicity's The 52 Project didn't feel right. There was something about all those children's faces on the link up screen that didn't sit well with me. Especially as it was clearly not a community that shared some comment love.

After much thought and consideration I have finally come up with a way round it. I am just going off and doing my own thing. So I give to you Snapshots of Us. 

It has been a week of torrential downpours here so when the sun decided to shine we made the most of it and jumped on our bikes and head down to the foreshore for a fish 'n' chip lunch and a play at the playground.

Teapot going round and round and round

 Zany, also going round and round

And you guessed it, Lovely, going round and round

Me and Mr Awesome, not going round and round

Things I Know About Arthur Boyd

 Earlier on in the week a Facebook friend of mine posted a status with the following

The idea is to occupy Facebook with art, breaking the monotony of photos of lunch, sushi and sports. Whoever likes this post will receive an artist and is asked to publish a piece by that artist with this text. I was given Picasso.

Since I 'liked' the photo she shared I was then given an artist of my own to go and share some art love with.

image from here

The artist I was given was Arthur Boyd.

Now while I vaguely knew that he was an Australian artist I didn't actually know too much else about him. However in the process of finding an image to share of his works I decided that we should all know a little more about this great Australian.

So here are some of the things I now know about the great Arthur Boyd.

Arthur Merric Bloomfield Boyd AC OBE was born on July 24 1920 in Murrumbeena, Victoria. Born into a long standing artistic family Arthur was destined to be an artist. He is known as one of Australia's leading painters of the late 20th century.

At the age of fourteen Boyd left school and briefly took some night classes at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. It was here, under the teachings of a Jewish immigrant artist that he began to develop a social conscience and humanitarian values.

In 1941 Boyd was conscripted and served with the Cartographic Unit until 1944. During this time however he did not see active duty. His expressionistic wartime paintings where considered painful images of the dispossessed and the outcast.

Boyd and his wife Yvonne spent a great deal of time traveling. Both in Australia and overseas. After spending time in Central Australia he created what some call his best known work Love, Marriage and Death of a Half-Caste Bride series. These were a representation of his observations of the Aboriginal people he had encountered in his time near Alice Springs.

During his life Boyd received many accolades. In  1970 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to art. Then in 1979 he was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the visual arts. He was also appointed Companion of the Order of Australia in 1992 in recognition of his service to the visual arts and to the development of Australian artists and crafts people. Though perhaps the highest honour came in 1995 when Boyd was named as the Australian of the Year.  in 1998 Boyd was honoured by Australia Post with a series of postage stamps.

Boyd passed away in 1999, aged 78 years. He was survived by his wife Yvonne, their son Jamie and daughters Polly and Lucy. Boyd's legacy will live on through the Bundanon Trust. In 1993 Boyd and his wife donated their rural New South Wales property to the people of Australia.

Home to more than 4000 artworks and objects Bundanon is set on 1100 hectares of pristine Australian bush overlooking the Shoalhaven River. The area provided Boyd with many years of inspiration and he wanted to provide a similar opportunity for other artists.

I know that by all accounts Arthur Boyd sounds like a pretty amazing man
I know that he painted some rather awesome pictures.
I know that you should totally go and share all the things you know with Miss Cinders