Been Busy!!

It's been a wonderful time entertaining my sister Liz and her little Bennett.  We have been to the Ginger Factory for a rainy day of treats, train ride and a short themed boat ride.  Then we made it out to  Wellington Point just in time for an unbelieveable gorgeous sky.  Afterwards we went out for a real Aussie Burger (just throw on a slice of beetroot, an egg, and a big piece of middle rasher(bacon).  There was a lovely morning of park time where Liz and Bennett battled with sticks and  rode the swing.  Our life is better than ever, filled with the joy of baby talk and raisens and sippy cups.

I'm Getting Old

I notice my jowels (sp?) now.  They're beginning to sag, just like Grandma Hooten's did.  She was a beautiful woman but she did have heavy, baggy cheeks.  I love her.  I don't like my stage 2 jowels.  My  mom doesn't have them, by the way.  Don't ask me why I get them.

Gray hair is popping out of my head in very obvious places.  My little sister, Liz, used to pick them out "back in the day", just 10 years ago.  She would rummage around, find one and "plunk," it was out.  We would laugh, examine it and toss it aside.  Just a novelty, a silly distraction, sisterly bonding.  No big deal.  Now they're invasive.  I can see them clearly in recent pictures of me. 

My mother in law bought me a magnified mirror.  It's beautiful.  She has one and I had never considered asking for one like it, until last year.  I found myself borrowing hers to hunt down and remove the unlady like black hairs growing from my chin.  That mirror is incredible for that but it's been alarming to see my skin up that close.  I won't go into detail.  It's just too, well, yucky.  (I am trying to stay in denial as to the aging of my skin at this point).

There's more.  Today I realized that I am pushing pills on my  husband.  I give him one for his prostate (why take a chance?!), a multi-vitamin (the best I could buy), 2 vitamin C, and one called Gastro Health.  That one's tricky because you have to take it 30 min before you eat.  The vitamin is supposed to be taken with a meal.  Most of the time I can get most of it into him.  Today he reminded me that he's only humoring me.  I teased, "I gotta take good care of my man!"  As I walked back upstairs with his empty pill cup I knew my age.  

I know it.  I embrace it.  It's what I've wanted all along and I am getting it!!  Yeah!!!!

Worth the Wait

Straddy Sunrise

 Monday, pre-dawn, I walked out to the beach in the dark and sat up on the dune overlooking a huge ocean overhung by an enormous sky. 

 At first, it was stars and the sound of waves rushing and the invigorating, cool breeze off the water.  I wondered if I should go back for a jacket but surrendered the notion completely as the scene began to change. 

I began to sense motion in the black sea. Light appeared in the horizon.  Clouds took on color and form.  Moment by moment our gigantic, rising sun brought me, as it does quite simply every day, a beautiful new morning.

I walked down the beach overwhelmed to be alone with all of that beauty.  I thought about life, (I do that a lot.  Comes with the gray hair!))  how light changes the way we see things.  The more light became available the more glorious my setting became.  Absolutely nothing was needed other than that availability of life giving sunshine to transfom my entire world.  

And then there was nothing.  Quiet nothing time.  Almost boring really.  Without a hand to hold or an arm to snuggle me the grandeur of it waned.  I turned back, picked up my pace (and a black shoe, a child's sandal, and a plastic bottle) and went back to my family.

Stradbroke Island

Finally!  Our first trip to Stradbroke Island for a camping trip.  The long weekend was the perfect oppotunity to take advantage of the close proximity of this bit of heaven on earth.  It's the only reason we own an SUV and after our first dose of beaching it, it's unanimous.  Good choice!!

As you can see we are way over packed.  Next time we'll leave the crab pot home and maybe even the  fishing poles.  The only one that caught anything was Bart and that was with his spear gun.  What did we leave behind?  Chocolate!!  We'll definitely need more of that!  One little bag of chocolate aniseed rings didn't last long.

I'll post more pictures later.  Right now DH is talking about our future with present employer. His 6th boss just quit.   I should at least look interested!  Hee, hee