Nice to see you!

Three major events occurred for me last year (2010), all in the space of about 2 weeks. I turned 50. The following day I got married. Two weeks later, my oldest daughter became pregnant with her first child and my first grandchild.

Most middle-aged people will tell you that in their minds, they still feel 20 something. It's the same for me.

Wasn't it only yesterday that I was planning a night out with guys from the surf club? That gorgeous new perm. Flaired, cuffed denims and the red t-shirt with the off-the-shoulder frill. Corked platform wedgies. **sigh**

Suddenly I'm looking in the mirror and wondering how 30 years can flash by so damned quickly!

So here I am in cyberspace, sharing my genuine shock and horror with anyone who'll listen and maybe I'll even meet some other over 50s who find themselves in the same predicament!

Welcome to my dilemna!!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Is it time to panic yet?

Making a list.  Checking it twice.  Adding to the list.  Crossing out some of the list.  Adding something else to the list.

Re-writing the list neater.

Losing the list.

Finding the list.

Taking two hours to photograph the first thing on the list and running out of time to do the other 6 things that we planned for that two hours.

Checking what we've done so far and crossing that off the list (one thing).

Realising the list is too long.

Wondering how the heck we are going to get through the list, in the very short time available tomorrow.

Thinking that we've got it all under control .. then realising that I haven't even factored in the reception yet - luckily The Nikonian has factored in everything - it's just me who has been way too calm for way too long because I only had half the information stored in the vacuum where my brain should reside.

Packing the camera gear.

Writing another list of the extra things that we have to take tomorrow.

Trying to figure out how to stop the list from running through my head all night, so that I can actually get some sleep.

Wondering how The Nikonian can sleep so silently.  I can't even hear her breathing!  Should give her a kick, just to make sure she is alive!

Thinking .. we are among friends.  It will all work out on the day.  It will be fun.  The bride, groom, friends and family will be very happy with our work and at the end of the day, we will give each other a high five and enjoy a couple of vinos to celebrate.

Wish us luck!

Nite all

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Coff Coff

Here we are in Coffs Harbour, after travelling through so many roadworks!!

Didn't even recognise the place!

Surprisingly, we are staying in the same resort (Pacific Bay Resort) where Adoring Husband and I stayed, the last time we were in Coffs Harbour.

The Nikonian and I spent the afternoon walking around the resort, which has a 9 hole, par 3 golf course on offer, so the grounds are nicely manicured.

There are lots of places to get all kinds of shots, so we should do ok on the day.

We met up with the bride and groom for a drink this afternoon and they are a lovely couple.

I also met The Nikonian's oldest son, his wife and little grand daughter "Buggy", who is as cute as a button with the most amazing eyes.

So now I've met all of her kids (who are actually adults, not kids lol) and they really are the nicest, friendly and most down to earth family.

They all have some of their mother's charm, which is pretty special.  This is The Nikonian and her little Buggy, doing what they both love to do best .. read books.


Now I need to get some sleep.

Looking forward to another fun filled and exhausting day tomorrow.

Nite all.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Parasauralophus

A morning stroll to the local shopping centre brought with it, the addition of four new dinosaurs to the Chicklet household.

One of them, we had to research, because none of us knew it's name.

PARASAURALOPHUS:

Parasaurolophus is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 76.5–73 million years ago. It was a herbivore that walked both as a biped and a quadruped.

If you google it, you will see a picture.

It was easy to say goodbye to my lovely family this morning, knowing that I would be back in a few days.

Vegan Chickie and Chicklet walked me to The Nikonian's car and Chicklet was in a giggly mood when we said goodbye.  Apparently it didn't take long, after she returned home, to fall asleep in the oddest of places - her makeshift cave, under the dining table!

After a bit of shoe shopping, The Nikonian and I had lunch at Thomas Corner Eatery - Smoked Atlantic Salmon Salad, which was very light and very delicious.

We've spent the afternoon discussing the upcoming wedding shoot and generally being a bit silly.

Now we are in bed for an early night, so that we can head off bright and early in the morning.  

The drive will take about 6 hours.

It's going to be FUN!

So this is yet another short post, because I'm off to sleep.

Nite all. 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Day 365 in a Year of my Life

This is it!  The final day of "A year in my life".

What better way to celebrate it than to share some photos of my precious little possum?  I know you've been waiting for them!



We had a great day today!

This morning we walked to the supermarket and bought all the ingredients for chicken and roast veggie soup, and some flowers for Mama .. oh and a Mickey Mouse doll.

Then we came home and cooked the soup together.

Then Chicklet went down for a nap and Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef had some quality time together and enjoyed a movie at the cinema.

After Chicklet woke up, after a very long nap, we had a picnic in the lounge room and ate nuts and grapes and strawberries and Sakata crackers.

We cut up a sheet of baking paper into tiny little pieces and then threw them in the air and watched them flutter to the ground like birds, for about an hour!

We played with Mickey Mouse and made a swing out of wool and a pom pom, for Mickey to swing on.

Mama and Dadoo came home with a surprise present .. Peppa Pig!  How very exciting!  So the pieces of paper then became mud puddles for Peppa Pig and Mickey Mouse to jump in, for another hour.

Of course the chicken soup was for dinner and went down a treat.

Now, everyone is in bed and there are storms all about with lightning and crashing thunder and rain and winds.  I think the worst is over, but it was pretty noisy there for a while.

So it's been a full day.

The best news is that I'm not half as exhausted as I usually am on day two of my visit, so I'm thinking that my changed eating habits and small weight loss has contributed to improving my energy levels.   I'm also sleeping better and I imagine that helps too.

That makes me very happy!

Tomorrow I am off for the next leg of my break.  Excited!

Today I'm grateful for an amazing time with Chicklet.  There simply are no words.

Nite all.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Day 364 in a Year of my Life

There are simply no words to express the joy and love that exploded from my heart when my train pulled up at the railway station this morning.

I was standing in the doorway of my carriage waiting for the train to stop.  I was in the very last carriage of the train, so I was going to have to disembark at the far end of the station.

As it slowly pulled up to a stop, there before me, squatting on the platform with Chicklet standing in front of him, was The Bare-chested Chef.

The door to my carriage was in perfect alignment with the two of them.

As the door opened and Chicklet saw me standing there, the biggest brightest smile lit up her face!

Oh the joyous pain of overwhelming love!  It took all of my will to hold my emotions together.

Such a precious moment in time that I will remember clearly forever.

I have tears welling as I type these words.

She looked at me and said "Hullo Bozzy Wozzy.  Is that the train where you live?"

The Bare-chested Chef took my luggage and I took Chicklet's warm little hand in mine and we walked to the car together.

In the car on the drive home, I kept looking at her via the mirror on the back of the sun visor and every so often, I would lift my sunglasses up so that she could see my eyes and I would smile at her.  Her face would light up with the brightest little smile.

She kept asking "What's in your suitcase Bozzy Wozzy?" knowing full well that there would be a surprise in it for her!

Later in the day, we were sitting on the couch together and she was eating strawberries, and she just started chatting out of the blue.

"Dinosaurs that eat plants and trees are herbivores but if they eat dead meat, they are carnivores."

You just never know what she's going to come out with next.

So today, I've been an elephant and a skunk and we've done a few laps of the lounge room.  We've played with the cars on the play mat and we've balanced dinosaurs around the edge of a box, hung rubber snakes over the handle bar of her trampoline, checked out the sensory box and read a book.

Tomorrow will be a big day while Mama and Dadoo go to the movies.

I think we'll make some chicken and vegetable soup together.

There will definitely be photos tomorrow!

Today I'm grateful for warm and delicious family love.  Feelin' it.

Nite all.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Day 363 in a Year of my Life

I spent a solitary morning watching "An Affair to Remember", a movie made three years before I was even born!  A classic.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.  I love old movies.  Thanks to Lady Lynn for loaning me her favourite movie.

Now to find a copy of Waterloo Bridge.

The rest of my day was spent washing, ironing, packing, cleaning, cooking and checking all of my camera gear, so that I can leave for my eleven day sojourn in the Sunny Coast and Coffs Harbour tomorrow.

I get to see my little Chicklet!!!  Squeeeeeeeee!!!!

Stay tuned for new updated photos!

Today, I'm grateful to be pretty well organised with my packing and preparations.  Stress levels, low.  Procrastination level, a touch below average.  All batteries charged and checklist complete.

Nite all.