How Simple

Happiness comes with acceptance of our own circumstances and appreciating what we have. For us to be happy we first must be grateful.

Here are some simple things in my life that I am grateful for

Sharing Thai curry’s with my dear friend Miss Potter
Discovering the art of photography
Photo outings on sunny days
Photo outings on rainy days
Meals outside on the deck in the warm evening sun
The blanket of stillness that covers my house when the children are sleeping
Any words my son speaks
My children being blessed with the ability to learn, regardless of the rate
The laughter and fun we share as a family
Kisses, hugs and the words “love you mum”
My dreams and goals. Even the ones I may never reach as they always give me something to strive for.
Having everything I need even if I don’t have everything I want.

Christina from Soul Aperture is hosting the simple things and for every blog that participates she is donation $1 to the Doctors without Borders organization to support the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

I am the mix master

One of my birthday presents was a mix master. I decided to christen it by making a batch of cream filled chocolate cup cakes.

Then I made do Lamington cup cakes for Australia Day. Which was today, normally we go out and get involved in the Australia Day activities and celebrate our National Public holiday but I been so busy we decided to stay at home and have a BBQ.

I love cooking it really helps to relax me. When I’m in the kitchen the stress of day to day leave my body, I have no care or concept of time except when placing the cake in the oven but hey that’s what the oven timer is for.

Then Mikaela’s PC died today, it has a corrupt hard drive and this is the 4th time I have restored it, problem being it takes me a few hours to get it all going again. I think I will bite the bullet and get a new hard drive shortly. I hate PC problems; they are just to time consuming and incontinent. Even a girl one month off turning 10understands the frustrations of being left with out a computer and internet access.

I’m photographing a wedding this weekend and I’m supposed to be doing research but I’m not. It feels a little hopeless like cramming for an exam. I was terrible at cramming. I may love photography but my memory is definitely not a photographic one.

Christina from Soul Aperture is hosting the Simple Things, tomorrow (actually today) and I’d dearly love to join but I feel like all the stress of my daily life are blocking any creativity I have. Well you just have to wait till tomorrow to see how lame my simple things post is.

New Office Space

The retrenchments at my work are now setting in and by March my team of 4 will be the only people left on the office floor of our building. I asked my boss if we would be moving. What I meant was, were we going to move down stairs where the rest of the IT department resides. His response was we would most likely be moving building.

Moving to this location!! YIPPEE!! This pleases me, finally a location that is easily accessible by public transport. I am so sick of the 1:10 to 1:30 drive home considering it only takes me 30 minutes to get to work, as I don’t start until 10am and am not battling peak hour traffic on the way in.

It’s also a place where I could bring my camera to work everyday, finally an area that inspires some imagination. My current work place is boxed in on 3 sides by huge walls of shipping containers, dirty, dusty and on a good day it smells like dead cows decaying in the hot sun. (Not very inspiring)

I’m not sure if and when the move is going to happen but if it does here are some of the things I might see on a daily basis.

You may remember this bridge for a night photography shoot I did last year on a cold and rainy night. http://amemoryforever.blogspot.com/2009/10/view-of-melbounre-and-hamer-hall-arts.html

Little Miss Naughty's iPod Ordeal

There is a story behind this image. Little Miss Naughty is me.

I had purchased an iPod shuffle some time ago and put it away for Callum’s Christmas gift. Then I notice in many of the catalogues that the iPod shuffle had been upgraded it was now 2 gig instead of one and it was $10 cheaper then the 1 gig I had purchase months before.

Me, being an extremely smart cookie, decided that because the iPod I had purchase Callum hadn’t been opened and I still had the receipt taped to the box that I would take it back. I could get a refunded and go buy the new iPod, saving myself $10 and the boy would have a extra gig of music.

I take the ipod back to where I purchased it. Tell the lady that someone else bought him one and it’s no longer needed and she refunds my money. Beaming with smugness I now go to another shop and tell the assistant I wish to purchase a Blue Ipod Shuffle. He goes to the display cabinet and brings back the new streamlined version of the shuffle. Hands it to me and I’m left with a confused look on my face. Where are the buttons? How do you fast forward? There are no buttons.

The new iPod shuffles controls are in the earphones. DOH!!! That’s no good for my boy, he wont be able to manipulate controls from his ears. What have I done, the old iPod’s are now off the market and you can’t buy them. I race back to the first shop to try and recover the original iPod, reluctantly after much begging by me the sales girl allows me to repurchase it.

Phew, what an ordeal.

I'm It - Ready or not here I come

I’m no longer on holidays. Back at work, which isn't agreeing with my 365 photo project. I’m a bit behind so I’m posting yesterdays photo, today’s photos. Tomorrow I am going to make time to visit your lovely blogs.
I’ve been tagged twice this week by Cinner and Bull Rhino. I’ve decided to play only one tag because I think it encompasses the other tag.

8 TV shows I watch on occasion


1. News.

2. Jeopardy - (NOT the game show – The British TV series about 8 Scottish teenagers that travel to Australia with their school teacher and have an alien encounter)

4. Lie To Me.

5. Packed To The Rafters (occasionally).

6. Master Chef Australia.

7. Compass – and interesting documentary show on the ABC.

8. I want to watch “Wicked Love” the story of Maria Korp when it airs. Tragic story, but interesting.


8 favorite places to eat and drink


1. Mum’s house - some time I get a roast dinner.

2. Home

3. Hot Chilli – my favourite Thai Restaurant.

4. I rarely eat out and if I do my choice is always #3, it’s just that good and reasonably priced.


8 things I look forward to


1. More time off work

2. Kids returning to school (maybe not means homework)

3. A real family holiday

4. The return of camera club meetings 2010

5. Photographing a wedding next weekend

6. Travelling with out children

7. Meeting MR Right

8. Weekends, lazy day and family outings.


8 things I love about winter


1. Ask me again in winter. To busy enjoying summer right now.


8 things on my wish list


I’m really not one to wish for things. If I want something I will work my way towards it regardless of time and effort but if I could have anything then ….

1. A photography studio with all the photographic equipment I desire.

2. Travel the world, to experience the diversity and culture the world has to offer.

3. For my children to never have to suffer hardship pain or sorrow.

4. That my dad was alive today.

5. Never to experience fear again.

6. For all my family to have good health.

7. For the friendships I have today to continue long into the future.

8. That my house is always filled with laughter and warmth.


8 things I am passionate about


1. My kids

2. Photography

3. Travel

4. Making the most of what I have

5. Friends

6. Being true to myself

7. Paying my home loan off within the 10 years. (this requires much effort)

8. The price of Bananas (just checking if your still with me)


8 things I have learned from the past


1. Kicking toe on concrete paver hurts, really hurts (sorry that’s still fresh in my mind)

2. Trust your intuition

3. Just because someone lives in a nice house and drives a nice car doesn’t mean they are rich. (they just have bigger debts than me)

4. Better to have an empty room than a bad lodger.

5. Judge someone by their actions not their words. (Words are meaningless if not followed up with action)

6. If you want to make friends give people a fair go. (Don’t dismiss them because you think they don’t match your selection criteria.)

7. Being alone does not equal being lonely (To truly understand this, one must spend countless hours in ones own company without the possibility of soon returning to the arms of a loved one.)

8. You can only control your own actions, not the actions of others. However your actions can influence the actions of others.


8 things I want/need
(You’ll notice a theme happening here)


1. A pergola – had a quote for one but it was $9,800 or $11,000 painted (EEK!! Start saving my pennies now)

2. A water tank –so I can water my garden.

3. Garden Shed.

4. Plantations Shutters for my Bathroom, toilet and en-suite windows.

5. Remove weeds and replace with compacted crushed rock on nature strip (the council land between house and road)

6. A lawn moving man to mow the weeds in the meantime.

7. New PC and desk.

8. More free time to read and visit blog friends.


8 people I want to tag

I’m taking the easy way out and not going to tag anyone. It’s taken me all night to write this post. Anyone who t has the time and would like to take part is welcome to paly along is welcome.

Who said Photographers are Crazy?

I squeezed my foot into the most comfortable shoes I have and it was off to a catch up lunch with friends. Cameras in hand, we chatted laughed and laughed some more, planned photo outings and another weekend away.

This poem works better if you sing the tune of “Christie Lee” by Billy Joel.

Let me tell you a story
About a girl and 2 guys
They were going into town
And it wasn’t to by pies
They decided to photograph seagulls
By throwing chips around
But the only shots they could get
Were ones from the ground.

Wide angle lens, wide angle lens
Wide angle lens, wide angle lens

She always gets the best shots
When the boys are around.

This photo was taken by one of my friends looking on in between his fits of laughter. For the record I don't like any of the shots I took on the grass, the gravel proved a better location.

Present to Self

I never really spoil myself with gifts that have no practically. But I wanted a charm for my charm necklace, I went into the jewellers and after looking at all the different charms something made me ask her “Do you have a camera charm?” She was sure she had seen one but upon checking there were none in the store. She rang head office and they had one camera charm left in the whole company as they were discontinuing the line. I just had to have that charm. Now it’s home is around my neck.

Some of you may remember some 6 months ago I lost a ring that I wanted to give my daughter for her 10th birthday. A friend had told me to pray to St Anthony and catholic saint or the patron of lost things. “But I’m not catholic” I said to my friends. “No worries, St Anthony love everybody” my friend replies. So I pray to St Anthony and for 6 months I look around the house and tip out the contents of the small draw I had kept the ring in too many times to count, and nothing, zip, nada.

Now every time I see my friend I remind her that I’d asked St Anthony very nicely but he hasn’t found my ring and my daughters birthday 10th is nearing. She just replies with “He will” in that smart tone like she knows better.

The other day I open the small draw for a completely different reason and I think of St Anthony. I start to curse him (no rude language). I just called him a useless kleptomaniac, that’s all. Then as if by magic a small box appeared before my eyes. No surely it couldn’t be….. couldn’t it. I mean I turned that draw upside down, inside out and the wrong way round many times it can’t be or can it?

I open the box and it is. It is, it is. I’m not sure if I pushed his buttons but I hereby wish to formally apologies to St Anthony. Sorry St Anthony, I am now a believer.

Wanted... Another 347 Photo Ideas

(only one flavour milkshake for the girl and that's Chocolate)

I’m just not in the right headspace at the moment. How many day are we into this project? Picking up my camera is not an issue, thinking of ideas of something to shoot can be on days. For me this project is more often and taking more images, it’s about improving my photography, challenging the way I think and the way I shoot. Learning to see outside the square instantaneously and improving my creative train of thought.

I may not use the camera on a particular day and so that might mean I selected an image taken different day for display. I'd be lying if I said I did take a photo every day. Last year I picked up my camera on average every 3rd day and this year I ented to beat that. Even still I work an 8 hour day, have kids to take swimming,dancing, soccer and not to forget school homework and there will not alway be oppurtunites every day to shoot something. Therefore I have set a rule that photos in my 365 project cannot be more than a week old for me to be able to use it. This way when I look back on the year it is still an accurate account of 2010 for me. This rule will, force me to pick up the camera again and keep striving to do better.

It also means even at this early stage of the game that I have a number of interesting photos that I still want to share with you but haven’t been as they are not apart of my 365 project.

So I am breaking the rules and will also be displaying a few images here that don’t make it to my project when appropriate.

One of my main goals for this project it to have a diverse range of images yet still be reflective and meaningful of the year that was for me.

Sushi Anyone?

My boy has some neurological problems which have caused a moderate intellectually disability, verbal and motor dyspraxia and a squint (you’ll notice his turned eye in this image). There are many things he can not do … YET.
As a mother, sometimes there are things I wont let him do, mainly only because I believe there is an element of danger to him. As a mother there are many things I let him try, even if a little I’m apprehensive at times. As a mother there is always joy at all of his achievements no matter how small.

I guess I am just like any other mother and he is just like any other child. I like to encourage both my children’s strengths, we acknowledge the weakness but we don’t make a big deal out of them. Everybody has their own strengths and weakness, one can not exist with out the other. Our weakness makes us appreciate our strengths.

While it sometimes can be heartbreaking as a mother to see other kids his age ride bikes and kick balls, speak and be understood etc…. we continue on our path and we will achieve the best of our ability, no matter where our ability lies.

Never allow what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do - Author unknown

What's For Dinner

Summer to me means lots of Barbeques. I generally cook a poor mans bbq, just sausages and burgers with a few sliced potatoes and some zucchini. It’s nothing fancy, just some salad on the side you know lettuce, tomato, cheese and some cucumber with some fresh bread and oh can’t forget the most important thing when having a bbq … the Tomato Sauce!

Sorry but you wont find shrimp on the barbie here. Unless I am trying to impress…but then I’d make my homemade potato and tuna pasta salad and yummy desserts. I love the casualness of a Barbie with friends.

What do you like to cook when entertaining your guest?

The What Tree?

Yes it’s the thong tree. It was defiantly fun thing to photograph, humours and an iconic Aussie symbol. Now a word of advice for my America friends that might one day visit my homeland your thongs are not what we call thongs, these things stapled to the tree are thongs, try not to get them mixed up and don’t freak out when someone asks you to put on your thongs.

I’m fascinated how one thing can have so many English names. We call them Thongs, the Kiwi’s call them Jandals, some call them Flip Flops. Let me know what you call them?

A boring day is a day lost forever - Author unknown

A Short Break.

Sorry, I forgot to post yesterday. Sometimes life is busy and you are tired and things just don’t happen. My little family have been on a short break, drove 2 and bit hours to the town of Echuca along the Murray River. So please enjoy some of my favourite images of our trip.

The Murray River is Australia’s largest/longest river. The river acts as the border between the states of Victoria and New South Wales.

Back in 1956 when the river flooded, and the bridge that links the 2 states was inaccessible. It’s hard to image that much water these days. The river system has degraded due to an extremely long period of drought, irrigation and the introduction of European Carp, that have killed off a lot of the native fish. There are numerous environmental campaigns fighting to save the river.

Swim My Little Fish

The weather has been rather hot and because I have been on holidays we have been swimming almost every day. I think the kids have grown fins.

I was given this Creative Blogger award by the incredibility gorgeous Suzy Q form Eye To Eye. Suzy is only young but she oozes talent and her writing suggests she is far wises then her years.

Now I need to tell you 7 things about myself that you don’t already know.

1. Over the holidays I’ve been rekindling my teenager years by watching the first and Best movie Nicole Kidman has ever stared in. “BMX Bandits” the Baddies in this movie are even funnier 20 year on.

2. I just broke my toe about an hour ago, the bleeding has stoped, the ice back is off and it’s all taped up. Just waiting for the nail to fall off! Did I mention it hurts!

3. In 1988 I won an essay writing competition (came first in my state). I know, it’s hard for me to believe too but I got my face in the local paper and won a birth in the Australian Bicentennial Ocean Yacht Race from Darwin to Dampier. I also won for my school 5 Apple IIe computers - they were state of the art back then.

4. It was my birthday last week – bet you didn’t know that.

5. I once went speed dating, it was a great source of entertainment, the stories I have from that night are still funny today.

6. I haven’t packed away my Christmas decorations yet. Maybe this weekend.

7. I rarely use my mobile phone. I make less that 10 calls and around 20 text message a month on it.

Sorry I am not passing this on because I follow many creative and talented people. If you want to play feel free. I love to know more about you. In the mean time I need some sleep.

What's Your Flavour?

I actually never buy ice cream much to the disappointment of my kids (Mean Mother) but it’s just not practically at the time I do my shopping it would melt before I got home. We got this cool ice cream maker for Christmas now there is no more excuses.

The first batch we made was Oreo flavoured and then strawberry. I have to say the strawberry is simply delicious. I now have great plans for different flavour ice creams and want to make my most favourite flavour ice cream of all ….. Coconut with real coconut pieces, like I get at my favourite Thai restaurant!!

Inspire me, which flavour is your favourite or tell me about the weirdest flavour you have seen or tried?

Save Your Dim Sims

I just new when I wrapped Callum’s uneaten fried dim sim up in a handkerchief and place it in my handbag that it would serve a greater purpose. I’m mean If I’m going to let my Olga Berg bag smell like a fish and chip shop then it better be for good purpose. This is a full price, not the on sale at the factory outlet kind of Olga Berg, there better be a purpose to storing a dim sim in it.

I saw a seagull, but it was just that wee bit out of my cameras focal range. Ah, the light bulb flickers on and I remember that uneaten dim sim. So I throw a piece in the direction I want the seagull and instead of 1 seagull there were now about 40 of them. Oh well at least I got to take my pick of which ones I wanted to photograph.

Wedding Bells

Not for me, no no not for me. The bride to be is my mum’s neighbours grand daughter and I am the official photographer. She is to wed here at this reception centre and it will be my second wedding as the official photographer. Hopefully I will be able to share some of the images with you. I need to start studding some Bridal Photography for some idea. If anyone knows any great Bridal websites please send me a link.

I went out to the reception venue to have a look with another photography friend. We both took a few shots and wandered about scouting garden locations for formal portraits and checked the compass to see which way is west to watch for the setting sun.

Well, I think I’m pretty organised and just have to wait until the big day later this month.

Slowing Down With Age

Well at least she is trying to. This is our dog/beagle named Sally. She takes it pretty easy these days and that’s to be expected, as she is 12 years old now. She spends a lot of time sleeping, the odd run down the back yard to chase a bird but then changes her mind as she runs out of puff. Callum likes to annoy her, he chases her and she is very tolerant of him, because she knows that he’ll soon run inside to get her a Scooby Snack (dog biscuit). It took 3 or 4 Scooby Snacks for her to pose for this photo.

What’s that saying…. Never work with children or animals.

Enjoy your work or find work you can enjoy –author unknown

Very Nice Coconut Ice

One of the easiest things to make, no baking required.

Coconut Ice

3 cups icing sugar
4 cups desiccated coconut
1 can (400mls) sweetened condensed milk
Pink food colouring

Mix icing sugar and coconut and divide into 2 bowls. Pour half can of condensed milk into one bowl and mix. In left over condensed milk place drops of pink food colouring and stir before mixing into the other half of coconut and icing mixture.
Place both colour mixtures into a baking tin and refrigerate. Cut into small pieces.

No matter how simple the task there is always someone that will find the wrong way to do it – author unknown

Smooth Sailing

Here’s to a calm sea for 2010. The Spirit Of Tasmania, makes here way out of the bay on her nightly journey from Melbourne to Devonport. The trip to Devonport takes 11 hours across the rough sea of Bass Strait. The journey costs around the same amount as an airfare except the flight time is just under an hour. The next time we holiday in Tassie I would like to take the kids and the car across on the boat just for the experience as my kids have never taken an overnight ferry before.

This image is a little experimental for me. Not usually how I shoot and breaks all the rules of good photography. I can’t quiet put my finger on what it is but a little voice inside me head things for some reason it works.

What do you think of this image, good, bad or indifferent?

Relax And Enjoy

Sometimes it is fun being in the siding having no deadline, no fat controller telling you what to do. This is how we have been spending most of our holiday, not getting up til at least 9am, breakfast around 10am and not getting out of our pj’s until 4pm and wondering why we even bothered. Last year was very busy and stressful and this time of work is proving to he heaven sent and I am wishing I had taken more time off.

Thank you to all that left comment on my last blog post. I am OK wit my word for 2010, it's a very powerful word it's just not a pretty as some of the other words I've seen. I have chosen a second word to run along side and that is BELIEVE. I think this word will help me find the mental strength I desire. I let myself down and do myself an injustice at times all because of a lack of belief in my abilities.

PS: I've turned my comments moderator off for a few days as I will not be able to get on line. I have however prepared a few posts and I will check in with you all around the weekend.

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are – Chinese Proverb

Beauty - Sometimes A Second Look Is Required

Can I start over, can I pick my word again? Because I am thinking the only person that chooses the word strength is an idiot or already has strength. I’m hoping I’m the latter but not quiet sure at this point in time. At least my sense of humour is strong.

Everyone else has beautiful and uplifting words …. I want one too! (Huff) not fair.

Another person who has chosen a challenging word is a new friend. She has also decided to have another shot at a 365 day photo project. Please stop by her blog and give some encouragement. A year of photos is daunting (I have 4 photos and only 361 to go). We have decided to team up and make our journey a little easier. A little bit of STRENGTH in numbers, you might say.

As for that word I chose, hopefully I'll have it in a headlock soon. Grrr. Do I sound conviencing?

Don’t wait until the roses wither before you place them in your hair – author unknown.

Coming Down To Land

Which part of a trip do you like best? taking off, travelling though the air or coming down to land? I’m always apprehensive about taking off. Up in the air I get impatient and want to be at my destination. As for landing I am glad to be at my destination but it comes with a realization that nothing lasts forever and I’ll soon be boarding another flight home. 2010 I want to learn to enjoy each moment for what it is and not spending so much time worrying about what’s next. I can deal with that when the time arrives.

An open mind is the best travelling companion - author unknown

Rock Man We Salute You

We salute you before your maiden journey. Callum got this Iron Man rocket for his 7th Birthday. We have been taking it to the park to launch over the last few days. We see a little boy who peers out the window of a double story house that backs onto the park to watch us. Every time we wave to him he quickly closes the curtains and hides but re-appears again moments later to watch the next launch.

Imagination is a whole other universe where anything is possible- author unknown

Welcome to 2010

A photo a day project - I told you I need all the strength I can gather and maybe just a little encouragement from time to time as I know there will be days that this isn’t going to be easy.

The train has now left the station and the journey of 2010 has now begun. Taking the plunge into any challenge is the hardest step once you board the train to the point of no return, you must go forward. If I have one strength it is my ability to move forward once the momentum has begun. It’s just getting those wheels to turn that is the hardest part.

Motion is motion and action is action. Never mistake one for the other – author unknown