Why blog?

People have been keeping diaries for years. Centuries even. Hmm ... 'centuries' might be a slight exaggeration. I can't really think of the earliest diary I have read or heard about. Although clearly this became more likely once literacy levels were improved and the means to physically write became more easily accessible. Regardless, can you imagine how different history would be to study if more ordinary people had kept diaries in years gone by?

I don't know about anyone else, but I think of keeping a diary and my automatic mental image goes to a young girl. Similarly, I think of someone writing their memoirs and I think of an old man and probably one who was in the military. I also have a vague picture of a sick mother writing her story for her baby who she may not see grow up. I  have to admit when I think of someone who blogs, I think of a woman automatically and probably one with children. Clearly these are all stereotypes! And I am in no way suggesting most people fit these moulds. I would be very disappointed if they did. But it is just funny the way you get embedded with stereotypes even if you don't mean to be!

I did a fascinating assignment on the diary of a Victorian working-class woman years ago. (Embarrassingly, I can't remember her name. I was very pregnant with Erin at the time. This is my excuse and I am sticking to it). I also remember being inspired to keep a journal of my all activities when I was about 9 after reading someone Lady Baden-Powell had always kept one. I kept this up until I was about 14 I think. (I am sure this will be very useful for writing my autobiography one day!). I've read 'The Diary of Anne Frank', perhaps the most famous diary of all, and a number of biographies and autobiographies. Some of which I am sure were written with the help of people's personal diaries.

But regardless of this publication of diaries and journals and letters, did any of them really ever think what they were writing was going to become public property?

So this all brings me back to the question of why blog? I have to admit I feel a little egocentric thinking that anyone will actually care about the waffle I write on here. And of course, I had to start not one but three blogs.

The flip side of this is, I love reading other people's blogs. Just about the random stuff they say and do. However at times this feels incredibly voyeuristic. Especially when I was in the 'lurking stage'. By the lurking stage I mean when I was reading blogs and reading the regularly, but didn't follow them. In all fairness, at that stage I wasn't following any blogs but this is not the point. (Hello to any lurkers I may have, please feel free to say hi). This information is obviously in the public realm and I assume people like to have their blogs read, so I am not feeling bad about this!

So why do I blog? For me I think it is about getting back into the feel of writing for fun. For enjoyment, after years of writing for study. It is a way of feeling validated. That I have something worth saying (and I don't know why my lovely followers keep reading and keep commenting, but it really makes my day when you do! Thank you). And now I am at the point where I think I am ready to start writing down some of the stories that have been haunting me for years, blogging has been a way for me to begin to write regularly. There is instant gratification with a blog post!!

Damn.  Now I have finished this, while I was re-reading (yes I do re-read even though it might not seem like it) I have a horrible feeling I may have written something like this before? I am going to hit 'publish' anyway though because I am sure it is so fabulous you all want to read it again! (Humour me on this one).

So blogland friends. Why do you blog? And how on earth to you keep track of what you have written about before and what was just something you were thinking, but never actually blogged about?

V Day

All the posts have made me laugh today. It has just been one of those times that I am reminded I am a historian. Every time I read 'V day' my first thought is 'VE day' and worse, every time I read 'VD' my first thought is venereal disease. Now I sound like I am totally insane, you need to read my next paragraph (or two if you want the extended version).

Short version: I did my Honours thesis on the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts in England in the late nineteenth century. A lot of the readings used VD as an abbreviation for venereal disease.

Extended version: Why was that my Honours topic? I wanted my History thesis to sound sort of legalish (because my other major was Legal Studies). I  also wanted a particular supervisor who specialised in women's history in Europe. With the benefit of hindsight I should have scratched the legal component! Although I finished (despite Aimee arriving in the middle) and the BA (Hons) does look pretty after my name on the odd occasion I get to use it so I won't regret not thinking of an awesome topic too much.

In other news, I had a truly lovely birthday. The girls made me breakfast in bed. Work got cake for morning tea. One of my friends came around for dinner. And my boss is taking our team out to lunch tomorrow! I have also got non-stop messages all day. Having your birthday on Valentine's Day when you are in a relationship may not have major benefits, but when you are single you are still bombarded with love :)

Hope you have all had a lovely day and have reflected on all the important relationships in life. 'Love' just doesn't mean romance :)

Teaching an old dog new tricks

Be impressed, be very impressed. I went to my first tap dancing class tonight! Short version of a longs story goes as follows: trying to lose weight - need to be able to take at least Aimee with me if I need to - psyched myself up to do adult beginners class at the girls' dance school - girls super excited - got uni timetable - clash - tap available - sign up. I would like to point out, I am not a dancer. The girls are, and are quite talented (I have no idea where they get it from). I did belly dancing for a year or two about 7 years ago, but that is different. Pole dancing doesn't count. That is just an exercise class. So are you all impressed? You should be! It was hard. I am just a little bit proud of myself! The class will be straight after my lecture on a Monday night though, so it will be very interesting to see how I cope after that!

Memories

Some memories don't just happen by chance. Some memories are created. Well, I think they are anyway. You know, the things you did that when you were younger that you want your children to experience. Whether it be a regular Sunday roast at the grandparents' or a favourite book or holiday destination. In my case we will often have a big puzzle which lives on the main table that is an on-going work in progress. I actually don't really like jigsaws. But I love the memories of them being something we did as a family during school holidays or on rainy days. I want my girls to have those same memories of 'family'.

I can't remember if I have mentioned it before, but I grew up (until I was 13 anyway) on a sheep station in the middle(ish) of Australia. As in a 600,000 acre and 20,000 sheep type station (and those numbers are right, I double checked!). This means that a lot of my favourite childhood memories are a little, or in some cases a lot, different from lots of my friends and from my children's.

In the last year or so I have become friends with a farmer who lives about an hour and a half out of Perth. It is so very cool. She invites us out lots and my girls have now got to do some of the things that were such a part of my childhood. Playing in a shearing shed. Picking mulberries straight from the tree. Catching yabbies from a dam. Riding in the back of a ute. You get the idea. Clearly it is not the same, but it is a taste! And it is awesome. The friend has also said in a year or two when they are a bit bigger they can go and stay during part of their school holidays while I am at work and really get to do stuff. Wonderful for me, but such an amazing opportunity for the girls!

We spent the afternoon up there today. We picked mulberries. The girls got to do this last year and they have been dying to be able to do it again. Then we spent two hours cutting bulrushes out of a dam! Knee deep (or in my case waist deep) in water cutting and pulling and carrying. Real farm work! They are learning to earn their keep. I got some serious exercise in today. My friend got to do a job in an afternoon that would have taken her all week. We will all be sleeping very well tonight!

Memories. Hopefully these will be some that my girls will want to re-create for their children one day!

A.W.O.L.

I don't know why I haven't blogged for a month! It has been busy. Uni is back and I am doing two units this semster. My sister and nephew have visted from interstate. I have painted part of Aimee's room. I have sorted and cleaned and thrown out and put away (and it isn't even spring yet!) We helped the ex move back home (this took a whole weekend!). We have gone out. We have stayed home.

We have dressed up. Book week = Reanna as Dumblore, Erin as Mr Galliano (from Enid Blyton's circus books. Her father was excited it was like the alcohol *sigh* - from me and Erin!), Aimee as a book (personally I thought this was a particularly brilliant idea). I am still refusing to make Aimee a Voldemort costume for next year. I think it is creepy! We also went to a first birthday party as the Queen of Hearts (me), the Ace of Hearts (Aimee, I wanted the others to go as cards too but they wouldn't ... mean children!), the Mad Hatter (Erin) and the March Hare (Reanna).

I have read so much I think I have had a brain meltdown with new book overload. This is saying something!!! I have had friends go through some dramas. I have planned and hoped and dreamed. I think I might have finally had a story idea I can commit to catching and putting on paper ... just maybe mind you!

Busyness (business? Hmm neither looks right but nevermind) aside, this isn't the reason why I haven't blogged. I have just been tired and drained and a little flat. This partly meant I haven't had the the motivation, but also I don't want to post sad, flat posts. I have thought about it though, but I just haven't put metaphorical pen to paper. I also have read any blogs in the last month so I am very much looking forward to catching up on everyone's happenings! And hopefully, catching you all up with some of mine!!

Home Alone

It is a strange feeling! Not that I am not home alone ever, but usually it is because I have a day off work for some reason or for an hour when they are all at Guides or when I have come home after being out when they are sleeping somewhere else. I was 29 (or it might have been 30) before I'd ever slept in a house by myself. I was 21 (almost 22) before I'd ever slept in a house without another adult! I think being the oldest of seven may have had some impact on this. Empty houses still always feel strange to me!

Anyway, the entourage are having a sleepover at my sister's tonight because I am working tomorrow. So you may ask what I am doing tonight:

(a) I had crab sticks and chips with extra chicken salt. (So excited! I have randomly saw a fish and chip shops that does this in a pack like a meal. I LOVE crab sticks. Sometimes we get chips to go with dinner just so I can get them. I really need to stop this) AND I had it with salad so I am feeling very grown up, because the girls aren't even here to set a good example for;

(b) I have been in my pyjamas since 5:30pm;

(c) '27 Dresses' is on in the background; and

(d) now I am thinking about moving some furniture around. You know, as you do.

I could just curl up and get a super early night (except I want to watch a tv show later) or actually do some cleaning that needs doing or keep re-reading Harry Potter or catch up on some posts at Confessions of a Bookaholic, but I have a feeling moving furniture is going to be way to go. I am working on the theory, but when the urge hits you should go with it ... I will let you what (if anything!) I achieve later!

Oh and I should mention I will shower and change into a clean pair of pyjamas before bed! Just in case you were worried ;)

What I love about me!

Welcome to Week 2 of "What I Love About Me!" hosted by Twins Plus One, Three Times the Fun and Twingle Mommy!

Here's how it works -

Write a post about what you love about yourself this week and then add it to the linky list below. This is intended to be a time and place for each of us to stop criticizing ourselves for a few minutes and actually remind ourselves of the characteristics we are proud to own. So go ahead, look in the mirror, and see yourself through your loved one's eyes. Notice the beauty first. Here's your place to shine!

A few simple guidelines -
•Please follow the two hostesses. If you are a new follower, please comment so we can follow you too! :)
•We'd love it if you posted the button and the linky list, but it is not mandatory.
•Feel free to link to your homepage or your specific "What I Love About Me!" post. We want this to be a fun, relaxing hop so we'll accept all links as long as they are family-friendly. Thanks!
•The linky will be open all week so feel free to link-up on your own time.




Ok clearly the above bit is cut and posted from the blogs of the lovely hostesses. I really am working very hard on learning the 'tricks' of making the technical bits of blogging work! I managed the button and have finally worked out how to post a link (I think), but the list down the bottom was a bit too hard for me. I am very proud of myself for getting this far though! Check out Twins Plus One, Three Times the Fun and Twingle Mommy for more blogland people who have joined in.

What I love about me!

1. I love that I love my life. I may not have always made the right choices and there are things I wish I had done differently/could do differently now, but over all I love my life. I am slowly learning not to beat myself up over things I have done that I now regret.

2. I love that I can nap pretty much anywhere anytime. This is very useful. Especially when I am so super busy that the only thing that gets me from 5:30am to 11pm is the 10 minute power nap. It is slightly less useful if it makes me snoozey somewhere important like in a meeting. It is also slightly less useful if I nap for too long and then can't sleep at night. But over all it is a fabulous habit and one I have spent many years perfecting ;)

3. I love that I am never bored. Except in times I have totally no control over the situation but this pretty much never happens. I can usually find something to do or someone to talk to or something to think about .... or I nap. I do love to nap. My mum told me when I was about 8 only boring people get bored. I believed her. Going by this theory I might be the most exciting person in the world! Sadly, when I used this same expression on the girls, Aimee cried for 20 minutes that I said she was boring. This wasn't actually what I meant. I don't think she ever quite believed me. The girls are amazingly good at entertaining themselves though so maybe it did work.

Hmmm ... that was a lot harder then I thought! Definitely worth giving a go though :) And can I mention again I am very proud of myself for working out how to put links in at last?!

Just in case you were wondering ....

... I had a fantabulous weekend! Thought I would update you all since you all got to hear how excited I was last Friday. I was waiting until I had photos sorted but that hasn't happened yet and if I don't do it now I will forget!

Hanging out with my sisters was great. No fights! And yes I know I am way too old, especially since I am 20 years older then the youngest, but we are sisters. We do squabble! Highlights included Aimee being highly indignant that Reanna and my youngest sister called me (she went as my messenger, she was excited about this) to turn the lights off. I quote: "They were just being lazy!!" and no she didn't turn it off. Sister #4 (aged 14) being very surprised that I thought she might talk to her nieces after I was asleep (I had said no more dvds in case I fell asleep first and they asked her. I did). It also made me laugh because she does like hanging out with them and she is dying to baby-sit. Aimee again in the morning saying very sadly she had been talking to sister #4 but she didn't answer until she asked Aimee to get her the laptop and cable. In her defence she was asleep and someone sleeping doesn't usually distract Aimee from talking. Trust me, I know!

Saturday morning was fun playing grown-ups at the kitchen tea (I am sure at some point it will stop feeling like I am playing. Maybe when I am 40).

Hen's night was soooooo fabulous!! Seven of us had a hotel room booked so we had champagne and got ready together. Costumes are so much fun!!! Dinner and more champagne and cocktails. Pub, cider and dancing until we were "sober"! Followed by pyjamas and giggling. This is all you get to hear ;) What happens on hen's night ... stays on hen's night!**

Sunday I felt great and even made it to church with the girls and training in the afternoon. The rest of the day was a dvd day on the couch in my pyjamas with my baby girls though. Twenty-four hours is definitely long enough to be away from them.

Long weekends rock!!! Monday, we ALL slept in. Then we spent the day doing some "spring" cleaning (I am catching up on stuff I haven't been able to fit in during semester) and Aimee and I are cleaning out her room ready to paint!

I think that is it! You know, just in case you were wondering!!!

** So ... is it hen's night? Hens' night? or Hens night???? I get the grammatical difference ... but I can never work this one out! If anyone has any opinion I would love to hear! Sad, but true. It is driving me nuts!

Can I just say I am excited?

*Warning* this is a long post!! (But if you can bother sticking with it it is a nice snapshot to our life and the way my brain works. And possibly the reason why I should blog quickly and on the run instead of via edit and with masses amount of thought).

Once you get to know me a bit better you will find out I get excited easily and some would say excited over not very much. Personally I am ok with this. I would rather be the person who is happy and excited rather then the person who does nothing but complain and never, ever seems to be happy (I didn't realise how many people lived like this pre-facebook. It is really sad).

Anyway. Today I am excited about lots of things:

1. It is Friday And I love Fridays. I love the anticipation that it is almost the weekend. I also love that it is casual dress day at work and it means I can wear jeans. I love my jeans. I did mention I work better in pyjamas (I love pyjamas even more then I love jeans) but apparently even for casual dress this is not acceptable.

2. The weekend and this weekend it is not just any weekend here in Western Australia. It is a long weekend for Foundation day. This means that unlike other long weekends where there are things we specifically do to celebrate/commemerate events this weekend is just extra long!

3. Pyjama party The girls and I are sleeping over at my parents' place tonight with two (or three) of my (lots younger then me) sisters. Mum & Dad are away. I am not baby-sitting. Just hanging out. It should be fun! We live 45 minutes away from my family (not counting my sister and nephew who live in the Northern Territory) which is close enough to see them at least every two weeks or so, but I miss being a part of their everyday lives. Now just to see if we make it through the evening fight-free!

4. Hens' Night!!!! It is a close friend's hens' night tomorrow day/night. We get to dress up for the evening in fancy dress which I love. I am going as a girl from Gryffindor (my girls are in discussion over which one I am) and if I get to put my cloak into a cloak-room I am going to be doubly as excited as I am now!!!! Plus it has been a looooong time since I have been out on a girls' night out. Plus we have a hotel room booked so we are staying the night AND, just to top it all off I have 24 hours of childfree time thanks to a wonderful friend. I love my children! But I don't remember the last time I had 24 hours of me time**.

5.New information I have just worked out that blogger has a spell check. This is going to quite useful in my attempt to write good blog posts and sound semi-educated.

6. Dreaming v Goal Setting My first direct debit came out today which is another step to a BIG goal I am working towards (check out my other blog at Two Mummy Ducks).

7.Soup Croissant Express (a coffee shop chain) is selling soup again. I didn't bring lunch to work today in the hope that the soup of the day would be one I like (see previous post about me being a fussy eater). They are :)

8. Coffee I am not actually that excited by the coffee, but I think it might be the coffee that is making even more excited about stuff then usual. I had a jumbo capp this morning and my boss has just bought us a coffee. Hmmm. Despite my comments about caffeine addiction in my profile I have been working very hard at cutting back. This now means it seems to be having a fairly significant effect on me! (It has just occurred to me it means I have been to the coffee shop three times today when I would normally only go once or twice a fortnight! Never mind).

9. New stuff I have a bit of a splurge this week. I have been saving for a new dress, shoes, (play) jewellery etc for the upcoming wedding. And a fabulous friend is sending me a new bag to match the new dress! I also love surprises.

If you have managed to read to the end of this post ... thank you! Hope you enjoyed the insight into me :)

**Their dad works away and his roster isn't terribly consistent. When he is back he spends lots of time with them and has them sleepover and stuff, but we work more on flexible co-parenting at the moment rather then set 'visit' times. Even before he worked away they tended to go and stay once or twice a week rather then every second weekend. We felt it meant they get a better and on-going relationship with both of us. Plus I hate being away from them for more then a day so the every second weekend thing didn't really work for any of us. This changes as life changes but at the moment it works for us and the girls are happy. However, the times they have slept there recently have been uni nights for me which great is not quite the same as getting to go out. Not that I do badly in the going out stakes! I do actually have a fairly active social life. The girls are massive social butterflies. *Sigh* Now I have forgotten the point of all this. I think originally it was to make it clear the girls see their dad!! And that I am not complaining. Just excited. *end of waffle* (Although I am leaving this in as in a rambly way I think it is a nice little insight to our lifestyle ... and to my lack of abililty to stay on track!

My name is Catherine and I am a facebook addict

I admit it! I am a facebook addict. I update my status at least two or three times a day. Sometimes more. Even more scarily, I don't access the internet on my phone so all my updates are actually from a computer. I do have an office job though and I am studying at night at home so a lot of my time is legitimately spent sitting at a computer. The computer does sit on the table on in case I have sudden inspiration when I am at home though in what I like to call the "Mummy hours" (i.e. the time after I leave the office to pick the girls up from school to when they are in bed asleep. The time I spend driving them around, chatting about the day, watching dance classes, cooking dinner, helping with homework ... you know the sort of thing I mean).

But going back to facebook. I genuinely enjoy trying to think of status updates that are interesting, update and amusing yet still reflect me and my life. So I thought it would be fun to record and them on here as well in a weekly post .... so here goes ..... My week in status updates - 1 May 2011 to 8 May 2011 (this week has an 'extra day' the Saturday was 1 May so it seemed silly not to include it).

* Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! * Brunch with Rob and Tania (but no Chad!) .... now off to Brookton for the afternoon! * Baby lambs feeding are the cutest things ever! Their tails spin round in circles!!! And before anyone says anything I don't ever remember seeing a lamb feed when they still had a tail * Pot-luck dinner finished off a day which involved a lot of eating! * I can't believe there is only three days of school holidays left :( .... I could do with another week at least!! * Today was definitely a constructive day! So many little bits and pieces done! And finally sent the bags and bags of stuff off to the second-hand shop!! * *sings* Roller-skating, hide-and-seek, craft stuff and board games.These are a few of the girls' favourite things! (Well these have been the favourite activities when we have been at home these holidays anyway!) * I *love* lecturers who give good information about what to expect in exams!!!! * Today I am Thankful for flexible friends and for an increased sense of security thanks to the new lock on my fridge and being able to actually park my car in the carport! * Waking up in the middle of the night and being wide awake, but when the alarm goes off always still being super sleep. One of life's great mysteries. * Today I have lost one (at least for part of the day) .... but gained two .... baby-sitting my cousins :) Thanks to all my super understanding friends (and Reanna's)for changing our plans. Allegedly last minute baby-sitting duties earns me Platinum legend status and this can only be a good thing! * "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." --Martin Luther King, Jr.* After serious consideration on the matter, I have come to the conclusion 'A' names may be a jinx. Final reason for this conclusion? Little Miss Naughty A1 and Little Miss Naughty A2. * The girls might be giving Joel the 'Hair-Puller of the Day' award, but from me he is getting 'Cuddler of the Day'. * Off to training .... five kids in tow .... wish everyone luck!! :) * I never thought I would be so excited about a door!!! But I am :) * Last day of school holidays today :( .... back to reality tomorrow! * I would love a delayed send for text messages. For those times you think of something you just *have* to tell someone at a time when it is really not a good idea to text! * I am adding super cool stationary that aids procrastination to my list-of-things-that-just-makes-me-happy! * Lovely day to finish great holidays .... back to real life tomorrow!!! * I want minions!!! * Today I am Thankful for being able to spend school holidays at home with the girls, pain-killers* and friends who know me so well! * I just participated in an automated telephone survey that had the fastest talking voice imaginable! It made me sound like I speak slowly. * I ♥ Autumn, holidays, chick lit, sleeping children, surprises, purple toe-nails, fairy magic, crossing things off my to-do list, making pictures in the clouds and fun stationary * Back to real life and work .... and a wonderfully organised desk thanks to the lovely Tanya. And to my colleagues who are placing bets on how long this will last, the insder tip is Tuesday :oP * Dear Chaos,We meet again! Did you miss me? Apparently I missed you. Looking forward to a long and prosperous association. Let's treat each other nicely! Thanks heaps, Cath xxx * Today I am Thankful for the wonderful members of the school community who facilitate the Mothers' Day stall. The girls all came home super excited about the presents they had bought. Adding to the excitement is that they earned from Daddy so it makes it a Mummy-free process! Lots of smiles all round and I am anticipating lots more on Sunday!!!! * Parenting moment of the day: Trying to explain to Aimee why it is not a good idea for her to correct her teacher's punctuation (or spelling or grammar for that matter) on her assignment sheet. Even if the teacher was wrong. And even if she is right. The comments "no-one is perfect" and "everyone makes mistakes" earned me blank looks from the little one! * Having school, work and uni all start again on the same day feels a little mean! Or badly organised ......... Note to self: Think of this next semester! * Coffee machine is back! Hot chocolate is making me very happy :) * Today is Friday :) .... I feel this says it all! * The list of things to do this afternoon is getting longer by the second! I am determined not to forget anything this time. * I did not think the hairdressers would take so long! I have three very gorgeous (and much neater) girls now :) * I ♥ Autumn, rain, slushies, choc orange stuff, board games, champagne, surprises, wearing jeans to work, my beautiful babies, cushions, wishing on stars and crossing things off my to-do list * "If you think my hands are full then you should see my heart". * Find of the morning: "Land and Sea Tales for Scouts and Guides" by Rudyard Kipling, Commissioner, Boy Scouts. 1923 edition means Scouts were still using the (left-facing) swastika as a symbol. Massively excited about this (even if no-one else gets it) and the book makes the trip a success even if we didn't get what we actually wanted!!! * Enterprising daughters + Mothers' Day + craft stuff = surprises + (relatively) peaceful coffee catch-up time * When did Doritos get so yummy?! * I really want donkey-dragon baby pets! Dronkies? So cute! The minions could look after them. * Bacon and scrambled eggs by Chef Reanna, French toast by Chef Erin and beautiful serving by Miss Aimee. Showered in presents and set to bed to read for the morning. Perfect day so far! Happy Mothers' Day to all the mums out there. Hope you are having a lovely day! * I know it is really predictable but this doesn't stop it from being true so I am going to say it anyway! .... Today I am Thankful for my mother, my daughters, Terri-Anne, Jeanne and Nanna Jan. Also, for all my friends who are sharing the parenting journey with me! * The rest of Perth may be still in the grip of Beiber fever (well a certain demographic anyway), but this household* is concentrating on Miley Cyrus!


Wow! I didn't think that would be so long. I have also come to the conclusion I need to tone down on the exclamation marks.

Phew ... Just made it!!

And by it, I mean I have just managed to write a post for February. I know! I am slack. This is what happens when I bragged about how good I was at posting last time.

I have a couple of things to add to my "List Of Things That Just Make Me Happy". Gel pens - they are just fun and pretty and they are nice and smooth to write with (actually having some where they are supposed to be rather then being stolen by my daughters would also make me happy but let's not go there!). Fireworks - we went on Australia Day. I have no real reason for this one. I just think they are fun! Birthdays - I have no problems getting older and I had the most perfect birthday weekend for my 30th!!

I am also happy to report I have made two new salads. I was given a salad cookbook, servers and a salad bowl for my birthday. They were a present from friends I had shared my NY resolution with. The bonus is because they were a present, I made sure I used them (and twice in less then two weeks too). So far I have made a waldorf salad (by request of the ex - who was a little impressed when I actually did it. It is it too childish to laugh at him?!) and a watermelon, watercress and fetta salad (I am also proud of myself for thinking to do this when I realised I had a watermelon I needed to use).

PS I am super proud of myself for working out how to add photos to this! Oh have I mentioned I am technologically challenged as well as domestically challenged??? The Honey Joys in the pic are from my birthday. The girls and I added them in honour of a friend who was interstate on the day! I did manage to burn myself while making them but they were yummy!

It's All About Me

Defining yourself in a few easy words to people who may not know you is hard. Defining yourself when people do know you is perhaps even harder. Those are the people who know you and think they know how you view yourself ... and the question then is do you want to change that perception? My 'problem' with this is simply that with a blog I have realised I am writing to an unknown audience and this is one of the reasons I have procrastinated for so long about doing this. (Although in all fairness not the only reason! Mostly just procrastination for the sake of procrastination).

So why now? I have been meaning to do this for ages and decided now is the time. I went and saw the movie Julie and Julia (apologies if that is the wrong name!) and when everyone else left wanting to cook ... I left wanting to finally start a blog. Clearly I do not have a domestic side!

I am almost 30 and excited about this next milestone in my life. It seems to be a new beginning, the beginning of the next stage of my life which is full of opportunites and I am excited to see what is waiting for me around the corner. I am doing the single-parent thing for a second time and so very, very proud of my three beautiful daughters, studying a course I love, working a job I enjoy and am (mostly) at a stage of my life I am happy with.

My own little universe centres around my girls. They are the centre of it. Not my whole universe, and I am not ashamed to say that, but most definately the centre ... but my feelings on this one can wait until next time ......