You'll have noticed, if you check this blog on a regular basis, that almost every time I post an entry I change the little image and words on the right here...
For the last few, I haven't changed the words...'It's all about being in the right place at the right time', only the image.
I'm not normally given to quoting large tracts, but this one is about timing, and I like the content:
"Jean-Marc Hachey landed in West Africa as a volunteer, with high hopes of lending a helping hand. In that sense his timing was great. He arrived in Ghana in the early 1980's in the middle of a coup d'etat, at the peak of hyperinflation, and just in time for the worst drought in a decade. For these same reasons, some people would consider his timing quite poor from a more selfish survival standpoint. He had also missed the memo. The national menu had changed, and they were out of luxuries like bread and clean water. He would be surviving for four months on a slushlike concoction of corn meal and spinach. Not what most of us would order at the movie theater.
Jean-Marc had passed the point of no return, but it didn't matter. After two weeks of adjusting to the breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Mush a la Ghana), he had no desire to escape. The most basic of foods and good friends proved to be the only real necessities, and what would seem like a disaster from the outside was the most life affirming epiphany he'd ever experienced: The worst wasn't really that bad. To enjoy life, you don't need fancy nonsense, but you do need to control your time and realise that most things aren't as serious as you make them out to be.
Now 48, Jean-Marc lives in a nice home in Ontario, but could live without it. He has cash, but could fall into poverty tomorrow and it wouldn't matter. Some of his fondest memories still include nothing but friends and gruel. He is dedicated to creating special moments for himself and his family and is utterly unconcerned with retirement. He's already lived 20 years of partial retirement in perfect health.
Don't save it all for the end. There is every reason not to."
Timothy Ferriss. 'The 4 hour work week' (Apologies Tim, I followed your advise to apologise rather than seek permission)
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Christmas
Christmas here is indeed weird. The weather is currently returning to something of the form that Queensland is famed for. The days are hot... sometimes very hot. So hot that today for example, I noticed that when I was working on the floor of the garage at about 6pm, my forearms were glistening with water... not 'moist' like when you've worked up a sweat in a squash game... but 'wet' - running off the skin. Then at about 6.30 you get a thunderstorm.
So it was on Christmas eve. We all congregated at Andrew and Lee's in Jimboomba and had a splendid Christmas meal.
The way it works with this family is that we get together to eat the meal on the eve of Christmas, and everyone finds somewhere to put their head down.... at some point late into the night. The kids open their presents in the morning, and we all open our single present from a nominated other. Each person buys one present for one other to the value of $100... and the cost of the whole deal is sensibly mitigated. This year Johnny Jetwash bought my present and I got an easel. Fabulous it is too... its one of those that is a paintbox with legs and it all unfolds leaving you with a draw that pulls out under the canvas. Bunnings do a 1m square canvas for about $36 and that's what I'm gonna buy with my voucher Gill. (Thank you)
Christmas morning looked like this...
Santa ate the lot...
Back at home, Matilda and I played with hair gel...
... and Jack played with Daile's lamp.
All was well. Hope yours was good too.
So it was on Christmas eve. We all congregated at Andrew and Lee's in Jimboomba and had a splendid Christmas meal.
The way it works with this family is that we get together to eat the meal on the eve of Christmas, and everyone finds somewhere to put their head down.... at some point late into the night. The kids open their presents in the morning, and we all open our single present from a nominated other. Each person buys one present for one other to the value of $100... and the cost of the whole deal is sensibly mitigated. This year Johnny Jetwash bought my present and I got an easel. Fabulous it is too... its one of those that is a paintbox with legs and it all unfolds leaving you with a draw that pulls out under the canvas. Bunnings do a 1m square canvas for about $36 and that's what I'm gonna buy with my voucher Gill. (Thank you)
Christmas morning looked like this...
Santa ate the lot...
Back at home, Matilda and I played with hair gel...
... and Jack played with Daile's lamp.
All was well. Hope yours was good too.
Sunday 28 December 2008
Robbin' an' Smerkin'
I must be getting old, because I made a comment to some kids that I saw nicking handfulls of grapes in the supermarket a couple of days ago. Their dad noticed and asked them what was going on. I explained that I'd seen them take grapes (twice). He told me to mind my own business.
Now I know that it wasn't strictly any of my business and that it was 'only' grapes. But there's a funny thing going on here. Probably, you have pinched a grape yourself as you pass on by that shelf in your own supermarket? I have. Daile says she has. But would you take money directly? No.
So I wondered if I'd been rude by saying something. I extricated myself, and carried on with my shopping. But I festered on it for hours. Does the fact that we are prepared to help ourselves to grapes mean that we are prepared to steal other stuff? At what point (if ever) should you say something?
I discovered today that Josh has got a nose stud like Molly. Funny this because he was so very deprecating of her intention to get one when she we was trying to put a case to me for letting her get one last year.
He's now insisting that he won't be getting a tattoo. I do hope that he does better with THAT resolve. I know its just me being old (again) but it does all seem a bit permanent and dare I say it, pointless. The question, as with the theft is; does one piercing lead to this (below)? No.. probably not.
Guess what else? Having persuaded me to give up smoking in 2000, for which I'm 'internally' grateful, both Josh and Molly now smoke! I wonder if the smoke tarnishes the metal when they breath out through their noses?
Funny ol' world innit? We have relative values. All our values are relative. We will allow ourselves to nick something like grapes or pencils from Ikea, but we wouldn't nick the cash. We can justify sticking a pin through our ear lobe, but not nipples, testicles or whatever the hell else 'weird people' pierce. We'll eat a pigs kidneys or even its trotters, but not its eyes. Soldiers can shoot people, but not shoot pictures of the carnage.
I must be getting old - yeah that must be it.
Now I know that it wasn't strictly any of my business and that it was 'only' grapes. But there's a funny thing going on here. Probably, you have pinched a grape yourself as you pass on by that shelf in your own supermarket? I have. Daile says she has. But would you take money directly? No.
So I wondered if I'd been rude by saying something. I extricated myself, and carried on with my shopping. But I festered on it for hours. Does the fact that we are prepared to help ourselves to grapes mean that we are prepared to steal other stuff? At what point (if ever) should you say something?
I discovered today that Josh has got a nose stud like Molly. Funny this because he was so very deprecating of her intention to get one when she we was trying to put a case to me for letting her get one last year.
He's now insisting that he won't be getting a tattoo. I do hope that he does better with THAT resolve. I know its just me being old (again) but it does all seem a bit permanent and dare I say it, pointless. The question, as with the theft is; does one piercing lead to this (below)? No.. probably not.
Guess what else? Having persuaded me to give up smoking in 2000, for which I'm 'internally' grateful, both Josh and Molly now smoke! I wonder if the smoke tarnishes the metal when they breath out through their noses?
Funny ol' world innit? We have relative values. All our values are relative. We will allow ourselves to nick something like grapes or pencils from Ikea, but we wouldn't nick the cash. We can justify sticking a pin through our ear lobe, but not nipples, testicles or whatever the hell else 'weird people' pierce. We'll eat a pigs kidneys or even its trotters, but not its eyes. Soldiers can shoot people, but not shoot pictures of the carnage.
I must be getting old - yeah that must be it.
Saturday 20 December 2008
Phoebe and the world at home.
Its taken all week to sort of get straight here. We have SO many things. But things are starting to take shape and we already feel at home. The kids have been on good form, and pretty well behaved, playing in their own spaces either alone or together. Its been quite cathartic for all of us to get out the things that we've not seen for a year and a half. (They all went off a couple of months before we left the UK).
We decided to go for a little walk yesterday late arvo to have a look at a fallen tree that we can make out from the house, that Phoebe has been saying is a 'cave' - because the bottom end of it that is all rotten away and looks like one. The woodland is acutally pretty inpenetrable. Its obvious that no one ever really walks in there. Presumably its because of the wildlife, much of which is as you know, pretty wild. Here's a picture of our house from the side of the hill opposite....
... and here's the same scene (our house in the background) with a typical spider that spans the trees. As you walk, you are constantly breaking through these webs, which are invisible unless they have light behind them...
Going further up the hill, we came to this termite mound....
There is a LOT of wildlife here. One bird in particular wakes Daile up at sparrow's fart in the morning, and sounds like a tennament housewife screaming at her drunken husband..! It is absoulutely unbelievable. The bird itself is white and otherwise quite beautiful to behold. (Rather like myself)
Phoebe and I found this on the corner of the garage yesterday...
Anyway, whilst we were up on the hill, we found a track that leads back to civilisation and to a little park. The park is nested among trees and we saw the sun set from there.
Just before we went, Phoebe invited us all to tea! She'd been pottering in the kitchen for a while and we were all flat out making and stacking shelves. This is what she made....
... a 'stick bug'...
..a tree..
...a bunny...
...a tiger...
... a flower...
...and a snake! Good eh?
We had a lovely tea. She was well chuffed.
Earlier than that... I hung this picture up in the lounge. It's a picture of a life model that we used to use at Artem called Anna. The girls were offended by her nudity... so Phoebe and I made her something to cover her modesty....
Ha ha. I particularly like the little flower on the knickers!
We decided to go for a little walk yesterday late arvo to have a look at a fallen tree that we can make out from the house, that Phoebe has been saying is a 'cave' - because the bottom end of it that is all rotten away and looks like one. The woodland is acutally pretty inpenetrable. Its obvious that no one ever really walks in there. Presumably its because of the wildlife, much of which is as you know, pretty wild. Here's a picture of our house from the side of the hill opposite....
... and here's the same scene (our house in the background) with a typical spider that spans the trees. As you walk, you are constantly breaking through these webs, which are invisible unless they have light behind them...
Going further up the hill, we came to this termite mound....
There is a LOT of wildlife here. One bird in particular wakes Daile up at sparrow's fart in the morning, and sounds like a tennament housewife screaming at her drunken husband..! It is absoulutely unbelievable. The bird itself is white and otherwise quite beautiful to behold. (Rather like myself)
Phoebe and I found this on the corner of the garage yesterday...
Anyway, whilst we were up on the hill, we found a track that leads back to civilisation and to a little park. The park is nested among trees and we saw the sun set from there.
Just before we went, Phoebe invited us all to tea! She'd been pottering in the kitchen for a while and we were all flat out making and stacking shelves. This is what she made....
... a 'stick bug'...
..a tree..
...a bunny...
...a tiger...
... a flower...
...and a snake! Good eh?
We had a lovely tea. She was well chuffed.
Earlier than that... I hung this picture up in the lounge. It's a picture of a life model that we used to use at Artem called Anna. The girls were offended by her nudity... so Phoebe and I made her something to cover her modesty....
Ha ha. I particularly like the little flower on the knickers!
Wednesday 17 December 2008
Feeling quite moved...
Last week, for the back end of it at least, we were getting ready for our move to the house. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulated over the last 15 months, and it took four trailer loads, as well as five Ute’s worth. I knew that we had a lot of stuff, but non-the-less, was surprised by the time it took to move it all.
The new double garage, which I had hoped might be a workspace for me, looks like this...
So today we went off to IKEA to sort out some shelving, and had also resolved to buy ourselves a sofa. This is the first sofa that we've ever owned from new. It's a corner one, and includes a pull out bed. We've decided that the 'dining room' part of the house is not fit to be a dining room since it's too small, but is quite OK as a study. To that end, we've bought shelving for there to perhaps even be able to put away all our books... another first!
One thing that isn't a first though is the return of some of the kids old toys. The pinball game that Dad made for me when I was probably about 6 or 7, and the train that he made for Josh have re-emerged. The pinball needed a clean and some of the nails straightening, but is otherwise as good as the day I got it.
The train has lost an axle to being used as a skate board, but I have the wheels and new dowel, just not got around to it. No matter to Tilda though, who reckons it doesn't need those wheels anyway.
Earlier in the week, Matilda managed to scrounge some pillow cases off her harrowed Nana, and proceeded to make a dress. I kid you not when I say that this took her about 5 mins, including the bow around her waist and the one round her wrist.
Today I had a meeting with the council about the proposed drive on our land, and took the opportunity to quiz them about several other issues that have arisen. Contrary to the advice I've had from two engineers, they want us to proceed as per my plans, and reckon that we stand a good chance now of getting approval. The next step then, (finally) is to get the detailed plans drawn up by a draftsman.
I'll put something on here in due course.
The new double garage, which I had hoped might be a workspace for me, looks like this...
So today we went off to IKEA to sort out some shelving, and had also resolved to buy ourselves a sofa. This is the first sofa that we've ever owned from new. It's a corner one, and includes a pull out bed. We've decided that the 'dining room' part of the house is not fit to be a dining room since it's too small, but is quite OK as a study. To that end, we've bought shelving for there to perhaps even be able to put away all our books... another first!
One thing that isn't a first though is the return of some of the kids old toys. The pinball game that Dad made for me when I was probably about 6 or 7, and the train that he made for Josh have re-emerged. The pinball needed a clean and some of the nails straightening, but is otherwise as good as the day I got it.
The train has lost an axle to being used as a skate board, but I have the wheels and new dowel, just not got around to it. No matter to Tilda though, who reckons it doesn't need those wheels anyway.
Earlier in the week, Matilda managed to scrounge some pillow cases off her harrowed Nana, and proceeded to make a dress. I kid you not when I say that this took her about 5 mins, including the bow around her waist and the one round her wrist.
Today I had a meeting with the council about the proposed drive on our land, and took the opportunity to quiz them about several other issues that have arisen. Contrary to the advice I've had from two engineers, they want us to proceed as per my plans, and reckon that we stand a good chance now of getting approval. The next step then, (finally) is to get the detailed plans drawn up by a draftsman.
I'll put something on here in due course.
Wednesday 10 December 2008
Nativity ... and stuff.
We went to see Phoebe as narrator for the Kindergarten rendition of the nativity. It was cute, and Phoebe was really cool... like a newsreader, unhurried, well enunciated and with her head up. We got all tear-ed up.
It was a little hard to hear her though at first, with the ceiling fans on full splat, but she was told to speak up and she did.
Last night, we went to Matilda's school nativity, where both Tilda and Phoebe were doing some performances. They were both good, although Tilda is consumed by self-conciousness, and it really showed on stage, with her and with several other kids. She gave it her best though. Phoebe doesn't seem to have the same problem... and is really happy to get up and strut.
Last year at this event, I asked you if you could spot Matilda... this year I want you to see if you can spot me... he he. Looks like my Grandad's brows.
The weather here has taken a surge firmly into the category of hot. Today it has been about 29 degrees, and blistering. We're expecting it to reach 35 degrees on a regular basis, interspersed with storms, which is the characteristic Queensland weather of old, returning. It CAN get up to the early 40's...
Daile bought me a thermometer earlier in the year, like the one that Katrina and Conor have in London. Theirs is a bigger one, and has more baubles. The baubles rise or fall dependent on the temperature. But guess what..? It runs out at 28 degrees!!! Bugger!
It was a little hard to hear her though at first, with the ceiling fans on full splat, but she was told to speak up and she did.
Last night, we went to Matilda's school nativity, where both Tilda and Phoebe were doing some performances. They were both good, although Tilda is consumed by self-conciousness, and it really showed on stage, with her and with several other kids. She gave it her best though. Phoebe doesn't seem to have the same problem... and is really happy to get up and strut.
Last year at this event, I asked you if you could spot Matilda... this year I want you to see if you can spot me... he he. Looks like my Grandad's brows.
The weather here has taken a surge firmly into the category of hot. Today it has been about 29 degrees, and blistering. We're expecting it to reach 35 degrees on a regular basis, interspersed with storms, which is the characteristic Queensland weather of old, returning. It CAN get up to the early 40's...
Daile bought me a thermometer earlier in the year, like the one that Katrina and Conor have in London. Theirs is a bigger one, and has more baubles. The baubles rise or fall dependent on the temperature. But guess what..? It runs out at 28 degrees!!! Bugger!
Monday 8 December 2008
Jack - ets
These two are Nanna's kittens. Matilda decided to make them some clothes. Yeah I know...!
Friday 5 December 2008
Popping out with the kids....
Have a look at this spider.
I mean REALLY have a look by zooming in. What do you see?
When I found this yesterday, I thought that it was a type of spider I'd not seen in the house before. I caught it in a blending jar and had a closer look. From a distance it looks like it's got a bloated abdomen... but that's not what it is.
Gave me a bit of shock actually.
(BTW, these images might come up larger than your screen. If you hold down the 'Ctrl' key ('Apple' key for you Gill - and drag ... I think) at the same time as you use the scroll wheel on your mouse, it will resize to where you want...)
I mean REALLY have a look by zooming in. What do you see?
When I found this yesterday, I thought that it was a type of spider I'd not seen in the house before. I caught it in a blending jar and had a closer look. From a distance it looks like it's got a bloated abdomen... but that's not what it is.
Gave me a bit of shock actually.
(BTW, these images might come up larger than your screen. If you hold down the 'Ctrl' key ('Apple' key for you Gill - and drag ... I think) at the same time as you use the scroll wheel on your mouse, it will resize to where you want...)
Loud reports
Matilda got her report yesterday. It was really good and we've been trying to decide which side of the family it came from. In the end we decided that it must have been an immaculate conception. I remember it actually, and it WAS pretty good.
Anyway, she got a box of chocolate for the achievement, and she's chuffed to bits (as those of you who know her would appreciate).
Phoebe did very well at her Kindergarten too, and has surprised them on several occasions... like the time recently that she corrected the teacher for getting the wrong colours in the rainbow. When the teacher challenged her, she recounted them in order... and to prove it they went onto the internet!
Here's some of her recent work... (tonight's). Do you like my yellow boots.. and Daile's eyelashes?
Monty's title is one that he's acquired recently for socially unacceptable domestic behaviour.
Phoebe got chocolates too, so all was well with the world at 3ft high.
Anyway, she got a box of chocolate for the achievement, and she's chuffed to bits (as those of you who know her would appreciate).
Phoebe did very well at her Kindergarten too, and has surprised them on several occasions... like the time recently that she corrected the teacher for getting the wrong colours in the rainbow. When the teacher challenged her, she recounted them in order... and to prove it they went onto the internet!
Here's some of her recent work... (tonight's). Do you like my yellow boots.. and Daile's eyelashes?
Monty's title is one that he's acquired recently for socially unacceptable domestic behaviour.
Phoebe got chocolates too, so all was well with the world at 3ft high.
Thursday 4 December 2008
God knows... but not how to spell?
This week we’ve been collecting stuff for our new house. You know, stuff like a washing machine, a fridge, a microwave, a dishwasher and well…stuff. This evening I was on my way back from having picked up a real bargain… a fridge freezer like Wayne and Dette’s that has an ice dispenser and filtered water dispenser bit. They normally retail at $2,800 and we found this one that is two years old, previously owned by someone that’s got lots of money and isn’t counting the cost… for $700! It’s like new one, that’s got $2,100 off! Result. So there I am, crawling along the Ipswich road in rush hour, when I saw this….
Brilliant!
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Sad face....!
OK. I was a bit quick off the mark re the meanings to be derived from the conjunction of Jupiter/Venus/Moon. Tonight we've had the same thing that the US had yesterday. My advice.... get out of the stock market. Would I lie to you? He he.
Still luv ya!
I know I've been telling you that I like it here...but I just wanted you to know that I still luv ya in ol' Blighty!
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