Wednesday

Last day of school for 2014! As always, I am glad the school year is over.  :)
When I feel I can relax though, in the back of my mind I am conscious that I have an essay due on 5 January.  For the last couple of years I find I can barely make it to Christmas, so to be in the middle of a university trimester is daunting.  the kids get excited about Christmas and I try to make it a special time, but so many things crowd our space these days that I fear I fail miserably. My blog this year has mainly become a recording of photographs now and then.  Hoping that a picture truly says a thousand words. That I love my kids and wish the world for them.  Even when I cannot provide it.
Truth be told, I haven't written much as this year has been crap for me on so many levels.  It is one New years Eve that I will be truly celebrating.  At the same time 2015 scares me as I have made some decisions and changes that will hopefully be the best for my family, even if I know there will be days when I wonder what the hell I was thinking.

So, pictures for a thousand words today, pictures from the past few weeks:

Other things:
Julette Binoche is one of my favourite actresses and I really want to see her latest film, A Thousand Times Goodnight.  (Babysitters be warned)



Turns out one of my favourite singers has a song on the soundtrack.



And my teenage poster boy, Larry Mullen jnr is in the movie (that feels a bit weird to me) so with three of my favourites I have great expectations.

Betty in Paris with Commentary from Tiger in a Jar from Olive Us on Vimeo.

The clip above is cute.  They have lots of them. From a blog I used to read often.

It is such a busy time of year.  It seems more so this year. I am posting a couple of recent pictures from my iPhone.  My poor (real)camera has barely been used. 

I have so much I have wanted to post about for a while now, but the time never really presents itself... things such as my happiness saying goodbye to 2014, David's milestone achievement, my own study, and snippets from my gorgeous kids experiences... but mostly about the big changes headed our way!! ;) in my dreams it included this house.

Life is....

 

"That's what I want to get across.  It's not material success that determines happiness - it's the small events of daily life to be found in precious things like Mme Ramotswe's old and ragged lace handkerchief, and the smell of rain.  That's where we find meaning in life."

Alexander McCall Smith

Wednesday

Long due gardening... love our vege patch!

 

 

Monday/Saturday

Happenings.....

I started to write a post on Monday.  It is now Saturday.  :)

I have had the last week and half off work and it has been nice to all be home together. David of course, has had to take time out for uni, but we have managed a couple  of outings.  We went to Cockington Green, which Nicholas, Audrey AND Maggie loved! {photo overload alert}

My favourite meal - brunch...

under our wisteria

 

Picnic afternoon teas at home...

Delighted - a fairy garden at Cockington Green.

 
I want to live here.

We dropped into Floriade and Nicholas had a day at the zoo for zoocation.  We watched Dolphin's Tale and he was so engaged in the movie, had lots of questions, so I wanted him to have an experience of his own.  We don't often do extra stuff like that in the holidays.  Audrey did gymnastics in the summer holidays and loved it also.

I loved our girls day at Floriade ;)

 

David joined us for ice-cream after university before we picked Nicholas up from the zoo. (and I managed to distract Maggie while I put a clip in her hair  :))

Nicholas' zoo experience...

 

And how about these photographs David took of the Solar Eclipse on Wednesday night?

Saturday

I have very varied interests.  I do not purport to be an expert on anything.  I would be hopeless in a debate.  My opinions are usually based on a gut feeling.  Some controversial topics include climate and refugees.

One of the things that interests me that is less controversial is bees.  I am fascinated by the global bee crisis.  Some months ago I even watched some YouTube clips about it with my kids (lucky them!)  I am interested in the fact that what we do in our landscape has an effect on life around us.  And that the things we take for granted (our food supply) can be effected dramatically.  Catalyst had a program on bees last night.  I am yet to watch it (I may wait and do so with my kids ;))

Here is a lovely picture which explains something simple we can do to encourage bees in our gardens.



Speaking of things to do with climate, I was proud to see this woman from Marshall Islands speak at the UN



There is a special place in my heart for Pacific Islanders. Over the last 15 years, part of my work has been to support and encourage democracy development in the region.  But it has also given me the opportunity to meet wonderful people who become friends and we share in life's journey - the birth of children and the passing of loved ones.  When I heard this woman speak of her baby daughter, I thought of all of the Islanders I have met, and the Islands I have visited.

Just before commencing my maternity leave when expecting Maggie, I was responsible for organising a regional meeting.  I was thrilled with the number of women who attended.  one woman in particular, from Kiribati, spoke to me about expecting a baby.  Asked about my other children.  I asked her about her family.  She four children.  Then she said "I had five.  My baby had a fever and we went to the doctor.  Then we went to the hospital and she died."  Again I was confronted by the reality that in so many places in this world children are dying of preventable illnesses.

After Nicholas was born, I went to an International Women's Day talk given by Kirsty Sword Gusmao.  She spoke of the maternal health situation in Timor Leste, and it was then that I was able to get involved in the Alola Foundation maternity pack program.

Through my work in Papua New Guinea, I became more aware of children's literacy (or the lack of it)and the work of Buk Bilong Pikinini.  Again, I was able to raise awareness in my work place and hold a book drive to support the creation of libraries in PNG.

I am not an expert on much.  But I am grateful for the times that I have followed my heart and I believe I am richer for it.