Sometimes you just stop and think..........What is my own life about....


After reading this....

I feel my life has no community value.
I am not living creatively.
We are lucky to have talented creative loving people among us.


http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/trappist-monks-living-through-the-labor-of-their-hands/?ref=fp_blog_title


I am stifled in my job.......  Its the least creative aspect of my life.
I am grateful I have it. It keeps the wolf from the door.
Is there a better way to do that?

Sometimes development is a surprise.....

This façade stood alone for a number of years after the building it was attached to became too dangerous to leave standing.....

Now it has found new life, as the front door of the District Court of Western Australia.....

The restoration of St Georges Cathedral on St Georges Terrace, has an equally surprising new front.....

 Isn't that an amazing piece of art?  
http://www.perthcathedral.org/Ascalon/story-of-ascalon.html

 When I look at it I feel peaceful.
It must be the flow of the 'cloak'...

I Love it!!

It is possible, after all, to have rain in Perth....
We had several downpours yesterday.....   Sadly none today and none expected tomorrow...  Aah well.
it was nice while it lasted.....
Hope you had a lovely Easter.

Be Well
Di.

DIY Tram Blind

I love the Tram Blinds available as a decorator item but... the price!
So inspired by Sarah at "A Beach Cottage" I had a go at my own version....
I think I may add another page to lengthen......

 A few tools - Stencil... I had only the one font size but you may be able to find more if you shop around.
Steel ruler;
White Paint Marker pen;
White ink pen with finer nib;
A3 card paper;
and the most essential requirement

Patience.

 The pens are, Signo white (I love these pens I have a variety of colours)
and Uni Paint Marker. I found them both at the local newsagent and the Black A3 paper was there too...

You need a pencil to mark out your spacing.  Measure your letters first, work out how much spacing you prefer and draw horizontal lines lightly with a soft pencil. The lines erased easily when the paint pen was dry and I was sure I had finished . Be cautious of the stencil dragging the paint ink as you lift it.  Keep kitchen paper or soft cloth on hand and wipe the back of the stencil after every use to avoid blobs.... I have used a black whiteboard marker to shade out a couple of errors but I don't think you can tell..... unless you look closely.

 

Here it is .....! Quite happy with my effort.... 

Do think I will do another page and join them together for a more authentic longer look..... 

Hope Sarah is impressed.....   

Maggie....

Maggie not well at all... Ian will see Vet oncologist asap
I may lose my friend soon...  

55 days without rain and no sign of any on the horizon!
We get the promise in these kind of clouds but nothing comes of it!  Except for the storm over Northam last week which caused damaged to that town again...   we have had dry hot summery weather every day.  Nights  have rarely dropped below 20C in that time too so its beginning to get a little taxing!
Also, as everyone knows, the moon was closer to the earth than its been for a while and appeared large and magnificent in our sky even in the late afternoon it was obviously larger than the norm. ( as you can see from my photos taken on the way home from work)

Clearly the world is in a stage of turmoil as the people of Japan are recovering from the worst earthquake and tsunami I've heard of and the subsequent problems of having a nuclear power station damaged and out of control. (it has been said that the world will suffer dramatic change leading up to the year 2012 which is the end of the Mayan Calendar records)
Is it just me or is it weird for a small island country to build so many Nuclear power stations?  I know it supplies the energy need by a whole nation but surely, if you are an island you have access to other forms of power...  Water, wind, wave.   They could lead the world in safe, accessible, renewable energy sources....  Yet they chose the most dangerous, knowing they have to contend with earthquakes on a regular basis!


On a happier note, I have been back in the workforce!  Four and a half weeks in a demountable office which smells of newly laid carpet, with four other people... interesting...

However, reality is I'm back on the unemployed list for a while...  looking... looking....

Always good to keep my options open so exploring the business world again.. I have a plan ... just need to execute it and hang in there until it comes good. My worst trait I think, is that I give in too easily.  Not when the going is tough, but when the idea begins to look less rosy and it looks like it will take longer to reach the end goal...I lose energy and let myself fall back to 'lazy' mode.  However, I am determined this time not to do that as it's becoming clear the the 'normal' working life is only palatable if ALL conditions are met, not only SOME, and if I want to have more time to pursue my own interests and not work until I'm 75 (!), then I have to make a go of something else.

My list of conditions.
Great office location: (CBD is fine as I love the city and you can get a great location with stunning views there)
Ambiant atmosphere: i.e. as much natural light as possible, nice view (at least of the sky, at most of the river and some parkland), good clean kitchen facilities,  and space to move. ( 5 people in a demountable space of 10metres by 5 is not my idea of space)
Nice people: who appreciate my work
Easy going boss: who knows sometimes you arrive early in order to leave early, but you are still willing to work late as necessary.

"The Universe" knows my list.. I anticipate it all manifesting in good time.


Maggie not so well this week.  Had to have lumps removed. She is not coping in the post op stage... We are worried.. She may have had just about enough of the surgeries...

Be well.
XX

Heatwave in WA!

After many many nights of temp not dropping below 20degrees C and days in the 30's we have one more hot day and then some showers and a temperature drop!  Yay!
Its been a busy week.....
Tomorrow I am going to see my favourite crooner Michael Buble in concert and then on Saturday we are heading to the beach house.......   Heavenly!

How lucky was I to get this pic!  I think he was in love with the car arial....

Have a great week.
Be Well...

The most heartbreaking scenes of devastation have been seen on Australian TV this week.....  Christchurch, New Zealand has been shaken to pieces by an earthquake.  Buildings have fallen like packs of cards....   Its hard to imagine how it must have been for those trapped, and worse, inside. We have had the worst time lately, this region has had so much. Floods, cylcones, fire, drought and ironically, more floods.....  Now another earthquake..  I think only a plague is left.... and they do happen here! Locusts on the move are almost unstoppable....I found this today......!  http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/plague-locusts




Despite the hot weather, or, perhaps because of it,  (Will we ever see rain again!...) there has been plenty of activity in the garden, we have seen some Rainbow Lorikeets this week.

They are gorgeous birds and very noisy - they hate to go unnoticed and make sure they dont!


Also, I have planted tomatoes and sprinkled some tomato seeds in boxes in the house.  I killed the lettuces with kindness... I put them in too much sun and they have not survived. I'll get some more and try again.

I've been getting 'Craft-y" lately with things for the Beach house...  Just for fun, as its meant to be a relaxing place! Ian calls it "The Circus" in reference to the street name, but also to remind us to always have fun when we go there...!

Have a great week!
Be Well.

A week of challenge and opportunity

The Cloud formations and Weathermen promised rain ....  we saw none....  Maybe Sunday?

The Queen Mary 2 arrived in Fremantle....   Just fits the dock by the look of this pic......

I made a foray into the Corporate world this week. For the first time in 6 months I applied make-up before 7am!
The Universe has opened a window for me to see into a role I would love..... waiting to hear if the 'real' world wants me there...   In this setting I practised what I preach this week.:-) Abraham teaches me to love where I am right now whether its where I want be or not. I've been doing that - really loving being at home or with my family without thinking about work... or worrying about not having the money coming in. This week I interviewed for a job I thought I would really like. They seemed happy with me and I thought I would be offered the role. No - they thought I would maybe be bored so they interviewed others and filled the role yesterday! Ah well I thought. If I practise what I preach then the 'rule' I follow "If it looks, smells and tastes like the "One" and it turns out not to be, then you are so close to the "One" that it/he/she/the thing you know you want,  is just around the corner.....  Sure enough out of the clear blue sky comes the offer to interview for a role I hadn't considered for myself, but it offers all the elements I have asked for, every day I have been looking for employment..... Its a step up and will be challenging..... but oooh I want to give it a go.....!  Waiting for the offer to manifest.... while still believing if its not the "One" then the "One" is just around the corner and "all will be well".....

Patiently waiting..........

These roses are growing around the pool ..... Who could not help but smile seeing the bright shiny faces of these beauties.....

Have a great week.......  Be well. xx

 Blue glass in the morning sunshine.... looks so good.....

Western Australia doesn't escape Natures fury

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/


I think its safe to say that nature has the upper hand in Australia.  Floods in Queensland were closely followed by a cyclone of previously unseen strength, the other Eastern states have been sweltering in a long heatwave and here in the West we have had out of control bushfires...There has been worldwide example of natures might lately...Here and Here  Fortunately, no lives were lost in the fires which have swept frighteningly through Roleystone and Kelmscott hills suburbs this weekend.  It is a sobering thought that any spark can start fire with devastating results. It seems some poor man was careless with an angle grinder.  Not long ago one man had a fire in his backyard around here which resulted in the loss of his neighbours house! Even more frightening is that we in Perth seem to have living among us some people who take pleasure in deliberately lighting bushfires.   Its a scary world.  
We live up in the hills because we enjoy the peace and seclusion of being in nature when we retreat from our working life. Do we have to live with the constant worry that we may also be victim of a deliberate act of violence ( as arson surely is...)?  I am philosophical.  I have my photographs (pre-digital) safely stored with Beth in the non-rural suburbs, and we have a plan to not risk life and limb in trying to defend the house against a raging fire.  We grab the dogs and get the hell out before its too late to do so. I hope that's enough. Normally I have no doubt. Today I am a little wobbly on that one. 
Living here means I have to have an existential view of my 'possessions' - If I'm meant to have them in my life then it will all be safe. However, don't be too attached to anything which is 'stuff' - its all replaceable. 


Mentally I've been making a list.  
Books I love which I will never be able to replace as they are out of print....  I have a problem there then, as this weekend people only had time to grab people and animals and no time to pack the car.  and after all, that's the action plan we have agreed on....
Boxes of unmade craft...  No chance of keeping any of that.
Fabric - metre lengths for curtains, fat quarters and scraps ... see above about unmade crafts!
Ornaments and keepsakes lovingly transported from England with us 22 yrs ago.... 
China cups and saucers, used as part of the table setting for our wedding last year.
Ian's hippo collection, ditto the above ... and more...
My wedding dress, not yet made over into something else as planned..
My latest clothing purchases. bought for other peoples weddings and hopefully to wear to special occasions for a few seasons yet....  
The Monet, Van Gogh, Vettriano prints I recently purchased to have framed, (sometime ).
Our cd's videos and mp3 collections we love to watch and listen to. 


The list is starting to look like a litany of unfinished items I might encounter at my retirement...  Is that a wake up call? Not necessarily. I like have things to look towards as I barrel past 50 towards 60. They will still be there and anyway along the way I may take on one or two of the projects... :-) That's a prompt for a whole new line of thought...
However, my point is really, that I have lately come to realise the truth to be found the adage that we should (of course I mean me and not necessarily you, ) be prepared to let go of everything in order to have it around, as in, If I  am happy being prepared to let it go, it will be happy to stay. (There is a story of a boy asked by his priest  to hold a bird in his hands. As he struggled and held the bird tighter to keep it from flying away it struggled more and was in danger of being strangled to death by the boy. The priest  showed the boy how to hold the bird gently and the bird settled contentedly in his hands, unafraid and safe.)


I love everything Ian and I, buy, make or receive as gifts to make it part of this house... Our home. 
My heart breaks to see so many homes destroyed by natures hand. 
I'm tempted to say God willing, that wont happen to me, just by habit from childhood, but I don't believe in a god who is magnanimous or not, depending on whim. I believe in natures need and unrelenting ability to find balance for this earth. We contribute to that balance. How we do that is up to the individual. As long as I know everything has consequences, I can live with my personal behaviour regarding my consumption of its resources. I hope everyone else does and is safe through whatever nature throws our way. I hope those who have recently lost so much, find peace in the coming months and years and find joy in rebuilding. 


Be well.... 




The view down our front garden towards the trees which fill our suburb

The height of the trees over us at the rear of the house

Cyclone Yasi and calm around here

Today I am relieved no lives were lost in Far North Queensland during the huge cyclone which passed over them on Wednesday. Now for the rebuild. Good thoughts go out today to the USA as they are in the grip of a huge snow storm.
This morning here in Western Australia the weather is calm and already very warm 23c at 6:00am.
Having my coffee I heard a persistent tapping on the verandah roof, grabbed my camera and went to see if I could see what it was.  I thought it may have been a dragon fly and I have been trying to capture a shot of one.. (they hardly ever settle long enough).  Very exciting!-it was the pair of wrens who visit looking for their breakfast sometimes.  They are also so fast its almost impossible to capture anything other than a blur. The male is developing his bright blue markings, his iridescent patch is stunning in the morning sunlight.  I have a couple of shots .. blurry though...
I am trying to improve my photography skills by trial and error so I hope at the end of the 52 weeks I will have a better chance to capture them if they stay with us through the year.

2 February 2011

This first week of February has started with the thought "Oh my goodness! Its February already!"  
Where did January actually go?!  
To be honest I've been in holiday mode - we stayed at our beach house until Jan 11th which was a total indulgence and delight. Its our first summer with a place by the ocean so we revelled a little in pottering around and making a few little changes to put our stamp on the place and make it "Ours".  Its a shack right now but in a couple of summers we will demolish it and rebuild a modern strong building to spend even more time in!  Its a blank canvas to play with right now and we love it! 


Yesterday was a day with my girls...  Juliet who is almost 4 yrs old now was at school for the morning - the first of the new year - so I stayed with Beth my daughter, and Sybilla, our lovely new baby who is only 8 weeks old until it was time for school pickup.  We had lunch at Beth's home ( a delicious Ploughmans Lunch ) as J was a little tired from school activities, Then we were entertained by J, she was playing 'Cafe's" and serving lovely plastic sandwiches until heading out again on the road to home. Beth has learned free-machine sewing and is very pleased with the results. 

My lovely husband is a bit gouty but much improved last night Thankfully!  Its a horrible painful condition! Red meat banned for a little while in our house... 


So... holiday mode disconnected .......  I have to find some work out in the big wide world again...  Sigh...  
Its not the going to work that bothers me so much as the having to sell myself to someone so that they see my worth and are happy to pay me for my time.  Is that just me?


Ah well....