Evening all 

(Assuming there are at least one or two out there reading!) 

It's been an interesting start to the New Year, as I've been challenged with a sore back that will be reasonably comfortable for a day or two, then hellish to manage the next few days.  It can become unhappy very quickly, usually when I've been sitting in a chair that's not as supportive as it could be in particular places.

Often when I've had a sore back, I take it easy for a while and it settles relatively quickly.  Prior to the last 6 months, I'd also been having regular massages which seemed to help as well.  The massages have dropped off since I moved and this time the back issues have been a little more persistent, so I finally managed to find myself a therapist with the assistance of Google. 

I have to say Madilyn from NQBodyfix is awesome.  I had an appointment with her over the weekend and have another booked for tomorrow.  I've had more relief since then, than I have over the last 2 weeks so I'm hopeful the improvements will continue.

Yesterday I was also very excited to learn my blood pressure was down a little.  I'm one of these people who isn't keen on visiting the Dr and just going there is enough to bump my blood pressure up.  When I was diagnosed with high blood pressure some 7-8 yrs ago, it was around the 175 over 80 something mark and within a month or so, it had risen to 198 over 99 which I'm told it quite dangerous and can precede a stroke.  So I was put onto medication.  

In those years, we've still struggled to get it to a reasonable level and you can probably count on one hand the number of times it's been in the 140's.  Mostly it's been around the 150 and in the last 12 months, had been edging higher and into the 160's again.  

I needed my prescription renewed and given I've recently moved cities, I was seeing a new Dr.  I mentioned I can feel my blood pressure rising on the way to my appointment and it's something I struggle with.  So my first reading was 163 over 70 (the lowest the bottom number has ever been since I was in my 20's) and then after me talking about my nervousness around Dr's visits, he re-took it about 5 minutes later on the other arm.  I was pleasantly surprised and very excited to learn it was down to 148 over 72.  Still up a little but a distinct improvement on the last 12-18 mths readings.  So I'm feeling very encouraged and somewhat inspired by that to keep doing things that will help lower it.

A couple of little amusing/silly things I've noticed and heard this week.  One was a young guy yesterday riding his pushbike in peak hour traffic along a main arterial road.  He was riding with no hands and playing his guitar!!!!!  I wound down my window as I drove past to see if I could hear him playing and sure enough, I could hear him picking out a tune and strumming.  Not sure what he would have done if he'd had to react to a traffic situation suddenly!

The other amusing thing was hearing a nickname for a local hotel.. known as 'pickup a granny'.  Apparently due to the style of music that's played which seems to attract a mid-aged audience.  Can't say I've ever heard that terminology before!

Well that's about it from me for now.  I was going to write a little more but feeling a little weary so I will leave it for now.  Have to say the couple of days after New Year in Kuranda were beautiful.  Don't have a pic now, so will add one later on.  Have a great evening!

Happy New Year!  There's always something a little exciting about a new year I find.. that feeling of freshness and new beginnings. 

I admit there have been times when I've had to squash the thought of it just being another day yet on the other hand, have been quite disturbed at the speed the last year has just passed.  How is it that they seem to go faster and faster?

So those little negative thoughts aside and back in their box, it's time to enjoy the freshness of a new year.  I always have a little fun planning what I'd like to do with this year and then looking back at what I've achieved over the last year. 

I also have a tin that I write down the things that made me smile or feel happy during the year and I love reading back through them at New Year.  Some things I remember and other things I'd forgotten until re-reading.  Either way, they bring joy again just thinking about them.  Alas, I left my tin back in Brisbane when I moved to Townsville, so I need to do a retrieval when I go back later this month. 

Plans for this year are coming along nicely!  I have a friend who puts out a great book for planning your year which makes it even more fun.  I will get the link sometime soon and include it. 

My New Year's Eve was particularly quiet this year.  I worked and then went out to dinner with a friend.  Unfortunately I've was having some problems with my back and was in considerable pain by the time dinner was done, so I headed off home to bed.  I woke a little before midnight though and was able to see the fireworks from my room.  How lucky is that!! 

New Year's Day has been spent at work, doing a little forward planning here too.  It's been quiet as far as clients are concerned though. 

I've booked in to do a 6 week art course starting mid - Feb, so am excited about that.  Hmm another link I'll have to find a way to include. 

Perhaps that can be on my to do list too... become more tech savvy! 

I have plans to head up to Cairns for the weekend, so will be nice to have a little time away with friends. 

Well that's it from me for now.  I hope you have an awesomely fabulous day and I wish you all the very best for a fantastic 2015.

Hello to anyone reading my erratic little blog.  For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a lovely day however it was spent.  I think for many of us, the aim is to enjoy some time with our loved ones. 

I worked Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year which was a first for me. I’m now living 1350 km’s away from my family so it was the first time ever I have been away from family.  I exchanged text messages with them all before I headed off to work, not quite the same as phone calls but given we were all getting ready to be somewhere else, it worked for the meantime.

My sons all got together at home for breakfast with their wives, girlfriends and children.  One of my sons managed to get everyone together and take a photo of them all which they then emailed to my work.  It absolutely made my day!!  The seemingly little things can have such a big heartfelt impact.

Work was rather quiet as it turned out, so I managed to have a productive planning day before heading home to enjoy a brief rest then going to a friend’s place for dinner.  Their home was warm and welcoming, with Christmas decorations about, their dog was extremely excited to see me and with some festive food for dinner, it felt a little more like Christmas for me.  She and I later sat in the pool, which was more like a big warm bath, for an hour or so and chatted about anything and everything. 

I came home and was able to speak with one of my sons by phone and another friend called to wish me Merry Christmas, so it rounded out my day nicely.  Even though I physically wasn’t able to be with my loved ones, it still felt like I’d enjoyed their presence during the day.

I felt very blessed as I have two friends who find this time of year difficult due to each losing a child just before Christmas in recent years.  This year in Australia, we also saw a rather horrific lead up to Christmas with a siege in Sydney where two people lost their lives and later the same week, 8 children were murdered by a woman who was mother to 7 and aunt to the 8^th. 

My workplace was very affected by this as one of the children was the niece of a colleague.  Then I had word this morning (Boxing Day here) that another colleague lost her partner to cancer in the very early hours.  It reminds me of how much I have to be truly grateful for and how important it is to appreciate every day.

Of course not all days are going to be good days, but I believe each day we wake up breathing is a new day, a blessing in itself and we have a whole 24 hours in which to find something that makes us smile and feel a sense of gratitude and happiness.  Even if things are not going so well, it may be something simple that we can appreciate. 

I generally tend to be a more positive type of person but there was a time when I didn’t always feel this way.  I eventually came to realise that my happiness was my own responsibility and a choice that I could make every day.  I choose to be happy and have a positive outlook on life. 

I know there is tough stuff, I’ve experienced it and no, it’s certainly not fun.  But when I spend time stuck in that or dwell on it for long periods of time, then I don’t feel good and it can sometimes be hard to move those feelings.

I was recently in New Zealand.  I travelled over alone and had a day or two where I would have loved some company, so was feeling a little flat.  I called my Mum to see how she was going.  My Mum is in the early-mid stages of dementia and is in a nursing home.  During a lucid moment, Mum was asking me about what I’d seen.  She knows how much I love NZ and then she said, next time you go over, can you please take me with you and show me all your favourite places.

This makes my eyes well up even to type it now.  I would so love to be able to do this but both Mum and I know it’s not going to happen as she is not well enough to manage such a trip.  Mum has wanted to go to NZ and England for as long as I can remember, yet here she is in the sunset years of her life with regrets for the things she didn’t find a way to do. 

I have had an awareness for some time now that I need to follow my dreams, do the things I want to do and not be put off because I’m a middle aged single woman, because life is way too short.  This conversation with Mum really struck a chord with me.  I could hear the grief and regret in her voice and I don’t want to get to the end of my life with those types of regrets.  It has made me all the more determined to actively work towards doing the things I want to do and seeing the places I want to see.  To find a way to make them happen.

So that is my little piece of wisdom for what it’s worth today.  Life is not a dress rehearsal, we only get one shot at it, so enjoy it as much as you can.  Soak up all the experiences, the good and the not so good, learn from them, grow from them, make new memories with those you care about, see the things you want to see and experience the things you want to experience. 

And in among all that, I wish you much happiness and joy!

Well I thought I would try and get one more post in for the year!  Hehe.. hmm what can I say? The regular part of blogging hasn't been quite so regular this year.  Perhaps I can use an observation I shared with my work team on a number of occasions in relation to constant changes in our work space and govt policy.... the consistency is there is no consistency (kind of fits for me and blogging this year huh!), things are always changing and we have to adapt with them. Basically hang on for the ride or get left behind. So while I'm on the topic of change, there has been plenty happening in my life since last I wrote.  

Work - big BIG changes!  I came north to Townsville to do a 6 week secondment in a completely new program area.  I'd put in an expression of interest because there was a little uncertainty around a tender outcome for the program I was working in and I thought experience in a different area may be a good thing, should I need to be seeking work elsewhere later down the track.

Long story short, I ended up applying for the permanent role up here after the tender outcome arrived (not a positive outcome) and was successful.  This meant moving 1350 km's north and only having a weekend to find a place to live.  I was lucky enough to find a little granny flat with a wonderful landlady straight away.  I'm still in the process of sorting/packing/moving/winding things up in Brisbane but have until mid April to complete that which has been good.

The new job is essentially a promotion and a totally new program area to learn. It's been a challenging but rewarding space to work in and I will have my work cut out for me for a little while to come. I feel very blessed to have found a role that created a fairly smooth transition for me.

New town - I'm starting to feel a little more settled here and am enjoying the exploring part of being in a new place.  The weather has been quite warm as we head into summer, so that has slowed down the exploring a little, but expect it to ramp up once the cooler weather returns.

Social life - I have a social life!!!  I have enjoyed a couple of trips to the theatre with a friend and her husband who live up here.  Both fun nights out and a nice way to begin in a new town.  My landlady has also taken me along to a quaint little family run cinema which I've since attended again.  It's a great place and far nicer than the bigger cinema's.  I've also just joined a book club that my friend is involved with so will be going along to that in the new year.

Dating - Can you believe it?  I've even done a little dating since I've been up here!  I was set up on a blind date with a young friend's father.  Our first date was to dinner and a Black Sorrows concert.  Since then we've spent a little time together and he's taken me to explore some of the area north of here.  Lovely man and a nice friendship has grown there.

Friends - As I mentioned above, I have a friend here who I worked with in a volunteer organisation for a number of years.  I've been out to dinner with them and to the theatre a couple of times.  I also have a friend living up here that I went to school with interstate.  I hadn't seen her for over 20 yrs and we caught up a couple of months ago.  We haven't yet managed to catch up again, but the plan is there to do so.  I had another friend come visit me from the Calliope area and while he was here, we went across and explored Magnetic Island.  So it's all happening!

Family - I miss them dearly and can't wait to see them again late January. Thank goodness for phone calls, text messages and emails!  Not to mention being able to send photo's by text.  Youngest son is still healing from the accident I'd mentioned in previous posts and is having to look at a career change.  He loved his time in the snow and is hoping to go back for more next year.  

My brother was married for the first time on his 50th birthday and given I now live much closer up here in the tropics, I was able to attend.  I also had the opportunity to catch up with my friend.. the one who was busy trying to set me up with her Dad at the time. I was able to see my Dad and one of my cousins at the wedding which was a lovely small garden affair.  Sadly, Mum's mind is deteriorating a little more but I'm looking forward to seeing her again in January when I go down.

Writing - one thing about moving and wanting to keep in touch with loved ones. It's reminded me of a favourite past time I used to have.. writing letters!!  So I've been doing a little of that since coming up here and am thoroughly enjoying it.  Also have a few ideas floating for other writing projects but need to put those ideas down on paper and get moving on them.

Holidays - I already had plans for annual leave before moving up here and wasn't sure that I'd be able to actually go away anywhere given the unexpected move.  However, it all fell neatly into place and I was able to enjoy a week back in the south island of NZ.  Sadly, I had to cancel the retreat I'd planned to run in NZ for reasons beyond my control.  It was lovely to still be able to go over there though and do a little exploring of area's I hadn't previously seen, along with re-visiting some of my favourite places.  I hope to spend some time living over there in a few years, so will no doubt have a few trips over between now and then.

And I think that's about it for the quick catch up version!  The pic I've added today was taken at Wivenhoe Dam when I took my Brisbane team out on a team building afternoon, not too long before I came up to Townsville. Such a lovely restful place.

Hello again!  

I've been missing in action for a little while and yep, there's definitely been some action in these parts.  

i thought I might make this post a follow up one about my son who is currently down working the ski season in NSW.  

He amazes me that young man and his determination blows me away.  As I mentioned previously, he went down while still in plaster.  The start of the ski season ended up being delayed for 2 weeks and his new employers had agreed to a later start date for him.  

When he told his Work Cover person that he was bored, they negotiated with his new employer to put him on light duties that he could do until he had a full clearance.  My son was delighted with this!  

The weekend before he was due out of plaster, they had a blizzard and he and his girlfriend went out to capture some footage of the snow.  During his exploring of the snow, he managed to get his plaster wet so ended up cutting it off that night.  

He saw his specialist the next day and started physio the same week. Between physio and the gym, where he is working with a former olympic skier (who operates the gym), his foot is improving slowly but surely. 

He has also learnt how to snowboard (I know, I was a bit alarmed about that too when it was so soon after) and has taken to it like a duck to water.  He loves it!  And has been sending a steady stream of beautiful snow pics from on top of Mt Kosiousko. 

He's enjoying it so much, he's applied for a job to work the ski season in Japan and thinks he might like to work a few ski seasons in various places.  I think it's safe to say he has the travel bug!  

Well that's it from me today.  I will aim to be back sooner rather than later! Have a great week :)

Well hello!  How's things in your neck of the woods?  Is everything honky dory or are there a few speed bumps you are currently navigating around?  The speed bumps in life can make it interesting and sometimes frustrating.  

I remember when I lived in Central Queensland, some of the roads up there are very long straight roads and we used to joke that they had the odd curve in the road here and there to keep you awake.  I think speed bumps in life can be a little like that too.  Sometimes there to make us sit up and pay attention for whatever reason.  

My youngest son has been a fine example to me of determination and not letting things like life's speed bumps get in the way of his plans.  He has had a few accidents in the last couple of years, 3 of them involving significant injuries, one of which needed surgery twice.  In between those accidents, there was another one where he was unhurt but the vehicle he was driving was a write off.  

He is one very fortunate young man.  Despite his injuries, he has not been willing to take on board the word 'no' or the words 'it is unlikely you will be able to do ...... again'.  He was worked very hard with his recoveries to get his body back in the best condition it can be.  

He spends a lot of time in the gym and has managed to recover far better than expected from two of the accidents.  If he misses a couple of days, then he feels the effects very quickly, so he is aware that he needs to keep up the work in the gym in order to stay moving.

The 3rd accident causing injury was only a few weeks ago.  This time he is in plaster with a shattered heel.  He was due to start work next week down at Thredbo for the ski season, however, he has a few more weeks in plaster yet and we're unsure how soon he'll be able to walk or weight bear on that heel.

One may have expected that would have stopped him from going down to Thredbo.  But no.  There was no way he wasn't going to go.  So over the weekend, he and his girl packed up their gear and yesterday drove from Brisbane to Sydney and today went to their little unit they will be living in for the next few months.

He called his new employer last week to let them know of his accident and he was very happy when they decided to hold his job open for him until he has a clearance to work.  His plan had been to look for other work if he needed to but he was determined to not miss this opportunity when he'd already done so much planning for it.

For me at the moment, this has been a good reminder to not lose sight of my dreams.  To not let the busyness of my working life, the speed bumps or curves in the road and the self doubts I have about what I want to do outside of that (retreats etc) get in the way of me achieving my dreams.  

I guess this follows on a little from the procrastinating post in a way.  I remember a tutor once giving me a little picture of a celtic looking circle with the word Tuit at the top.  It was a reminder to keep working on our dreams, rather than waiting for the day when we get around 'tuit' or to it.  

Although as I mentioned in my previous post, one thing I have got around to doing was taking an Italian class.  I've now had two classes and am thoroughly enjoying them!  I'm so glad I made that impulsive last minute decision to join the class.

Today's pic is of my son's cast.  As a reminder that we can still follow our dreams if we find a way to navigate the obstacles.

I thought I'd talk about procrastination today.  Is this something you are familiar with? Is it something you find yourself doing? I have to admit to being a world class procrastinator.  I could have written the book on procrastination, but if I'd had the chance, I'd have probably procrastinated for too long to do so.

Mind you, I don't procrastinate with all things, but definitely some things. And the really frustrating thing is that often the things I am procrastinating about, are the things I really want to do or achieve, things that are sometimes very important to me.  

And yet, I procrastinate.  Sometimes for no good reason and other times there are valid reasons for me not getting moving with whatever it is I have in mind, but those valid reasons can also be mixed with a pinch of procrastination as well.

I have a few things that I've been procrastinating on and they are driving me nuts.  I know I'm my own worst enemy with this, but I'm reminded of a friend saying (actually she wrote a book about it), nothing changes if nothing changes.

For some of the things I'm procrastinating on, this saying fits perfectly!! Actually, it could probably fit anything to do with procrastinating when you stop and think about it.

Ok.. so the things I've been procrastinating on?  The biggies.  Changing my lifestyle in order to become healthier.  I've talked about it, I've started it, I've stopped doing what I was doing, I've started again, but I've not been consistent.  

Some of this has been due in part to other factors, such as being ill (I've had a couple of nuisance value things that have made me feel very unwell at times and have had fatigue go hand in hand with it), working long hours, and some old trauma coming back to re-visit.

However, realistically, I still could have worked around these things in some shape or form.  Particularly when it comes to moving.  As in exercise.  I know I'm doing baby steps and at times I make a really concerted effort, but I need to be more consistent.

I know walking always makes me feel good and while I am doing some, I'm not setting a consistent or habitual time frame so it's a bit hit and miss.  That said, I'm aiming to do at least a 10-15 minute walk a few times a week and I'm generally achieving that.  But if 10-15 mins is all I'm going to do, then I'd rather be doing that on a daily basis.

I know this also helps immensely when dealing with trauma.  Yet on a day when I'm struggling with that, which tends to be more when I actually stop and then find my thoughts drifting, I find I'm hermiting whereas it would be helpful not only from a health perspective, but also for my peace of mind for me to walk.  I know this from past experience, but sometimes I can't seem to get out of my own way to do it.

The other biggie is my retreat stuff.  Part of this is because I'm often so dang tired when I get home from work, that concentrating for long periods of time is the last thing I want to do.

Yet I could work around this by setting small tasks a couple of nights a week, or put an hour or two aside over the weekend.  Break it down into manageable chunks.  Basically, I'm really needing to get my message out there in a much bigger way very soon!!

And I'm not even going to start on the de-cluttering projects I want to do around here or the painting I'm wanting to do on canvas.  Both things I find therapeutic, yet procrastination comes up once again.

That said, there are things I am doing and I guess they have helped ease the trauma related stuff.  I've been doing a little gardening on the weekends.  I probably spend maybe half to an hour each weekend and have done a little tidying up, planted some seedlings and some potted plants.  

I did a belly cast last weekend even though it was the last thing I felt like doing.  The flip side of that is, I always enjoy it once I start and it's not like it takes a terrible long time.  

I have written a couple of letters which is also something I enjoy doing, so that's been good.  I've also done a little cooking which is also a standby when I'm wanting to switch off.

And although I've said I procrastinate about moving regularly, I have started parking my car a block further down the hill for work, so I'm getting a walking there and there are days when I'm walking at lunch time.  Just a short walk but it's a walk I wasn't doing previously.  My team had a meeting at a coffee shop a little further away and I walked the long way back.

A couple of evenings when I've felt somewhat stressed at the end of the day, I've gone out to the waterfront and walked along the jetty.  Again, not a long walk but a walk just the same.

I need to be more consistent about it all though.  Both the walking and taking more notice of what I put in my mouth.  Rather than just grabbing whatever because I'm too tired to be bothered to cook something when I get home from work at night.  

But in among all of this, I have actually got up and done something I have wanted to do for a long time.  Admittedly it was on impulse but it meant that it happened and I've made a good start.  

I've been wanting to take Italian classes for a few years now and a couple of times have just missed out on a class, yet haven't put my name down for the next one.  

Just over a week ago, I found an email in my inbox saying there were vacancies available in the next round of classes that were starting in 5 days time and would run over 8 weeks.  So just like that, I booked in and paid for it.  Then gulped because it wasn't exactly affordable just then and there, but it was too late, I'd already booked and paid. So last Wednesday night I had my first class and loved it.

Anyways, I fully recognise that I need to become a little more consistent about things and perhaps that means I need to plan a little more.  My weight is still yo-yo-ing and is currently up again.  

I feel very uncomfortable and know that I need to do something about it sooner rather than later.  And please don't think I'm a slim girl whinging.  I'm a long way from slim, not even in the same ball park as slim and to get to slim, will take a lot of hard work, effort and time.  It will not be a thing that happens over a few weeks.  It's also something that I cannot afford to procrastinate over, as it is affecting my health.  

And I guess that's what gives me the irrits the most over this whole procrastination thing.  The fact that it happens with the things that matter the most to me.  That's probably a whole other topic itself to get underneath the how's and why's of it.  

So for now I finish with acknowledging the good things, the walking that I am doing, the fact I've finally enrolled into Italian classes, and the time I'm spending in my garden.  

I use a checklist on the weekends and I'm generally reasonably good at doing the majority of things I put on it.  So I've added an extra one to plan my goals for this week and to make them achievable goals.  I'll check in again around this next week.

Tonight's pic is another taken in NZ.