My mother always said..and others too

Did your mother or at least someone you knew well tell you things to either stop you doing something or to encourage certain behaviours?  Did they tell you things to try and convince you otherwise?  I think we can all probably relate to that in one way or another. We are probably passing those same little antidoctial sayings on to our children now so it really is history repeating its self. 

Here are some of the funny but endearing things I remember being told.

1:  "One must suffer to be beautiful".  This was usually said as my mum tried to comb my birds nest of a hair doo as the knots became tangled and it hurt like crazy.  Yes I use this one today as I comb the ferals mops.

2:  " This place looks like a Babylonian Boozers Bazaar !!"   .. Used to describe a room of total clutter and kid mess.

3:  " If you are going to get your ears pierced why not get your nose done too !! " I remember my father saying this when expressing his distaste at my desire to get my ears pierced.. I got them done anyway !!

4:  " You will catch a cold if you stay out in the rain".  Well I can guarantee you that this will not happen.  A cold is a virus and rain is not going to give a virus to any drowned rat of a kid enjoying the delights of playing in a down pour !!!

5:  "Don't get too close to the fire or your kidneys will melt !! "  WHAT !!!!  We had a huge open fire when a kid and as our house was so cold we would all just about sit on it to stay warm.  I think there was another motive for saying this though... keeping us kids out of the way so mum could have the heat !!!  Smart woman

6:  " If the boys are teasing you then they must really really like you"   Well I am still not sure about that one.  I tell my ferals that now to encourage them to treat girls nicely as females are still a mystery to them.  Maybe for us girls it was a way of trying to boost our confidence when heading in to the hormone years of pimples and gangly legs !

7: " If the wind changes direction and you are still pulling that horrible face you will be stuck like that forever !! "  This is one we were all most likely told at some stage and have probably said it to our own off spring too.

8:  " No darling the cows are just giving each other a piggy back !! "  Ha ..That  was the easy way of getting out of a subject no parent wanted to venture into.

9:  " If you fall off a horse 7 times you will be classed as a good rider "   Well I am sure this was only said to save my  pride after I had taken a dive from my horses back for the umpteenth time. 

10:  " Blue and green should never be seen and never team red and orange when choosing an outfit "  Well they way fashion is going this year that is a statement that will defiantly go by the way side.  Bring on the colour !!!

11: " This isnt buying the baby a new dress !! "  This is one that has been used constantly for procrastination ..  A family favourite.

 I know there are plenty of others too but sitting here writing they do not want to recall themselves.  I am sure they will once I stop.  But these are the things that when a child we listened too and at some stage probably believed.  They can bring a giggle and a smirk to my face when recalling and I can guarantee most of these will be passed on to the ferals for them to pass on again.

What were you told  ???


                Cheers Dilly xx

Just some days of stuff ...

Today I am going to write about STUFF.  Yep just stuff that has happened today or in the last few days.  Things that have made me sit back and re asses or just made me laugh.  Do you have days like these?

Ok.. Here goes

1:  The ferals slept in till..7.45am.  Now for some that may not seem much but for me it is a miracle.


Sunset over our National Park

 They NEVER sleep in or if they do it is never on the weekend so for me it was too good to be true. 

2:  I went to the ..ugh .. supermarket with the pre mentioned ferals.  Lets just say my phone call to hub was of a desperate nature .. to PLEASE come and get them.  He arrived to whisk the monsters off to greener pastures away from the isles of food that seemed to be continually jumping into my despised trolley.  Disaster averted !

3: We have had the most beautiful autumn.  Days of unusual warmth that sends the sun streaming into my house of mud.  Beautiful sunsets to take my breath away. It has been the warmest April on record I have been told. These days make me glad to be alive.

4: Lilly wombat came home for a cuddle.  Yes she still stinks and is covered in ticks but her presence makes me smile with the knowledge I saved her precious life.  I gave and she happily received all I could give her.

5: I actually cooked something completely edible that the ferals went back again for more.  Bonus points for me !!!

6: I went to the ANZAC day service and fought back tears in remembrance of those who died for our great country.  A very humbling experience.

7:  The cat has been catching mice all over the place.  The ferals like to save them and spend ages playing with them. They carry them in their pockets and give them names like Hermione.  So many mice have survived and so many have escaped into areas I don't want to think of..
Send in the cat again I think !

8: I took time to stop and breathe today.  I watched the birds on the water and saw an amazing White Bellied Sea Eagle fly overhead.  They are amazing birds and compared to them I feel insignificant.

9: I laughed when Curly haired boy came running to me with a HUGE Blue Tongue Lizard grasped in his hands to show me.  A beautiful healthy lizard storing fat to take it through the cold winter months of hibernation.  He was so excited and proudly carried it around for hours.

10: I finished a book.  I absolutely love to read.  I enjoy being taken to places unknown in my mind and becoming someone else for a short time.  It is a gift being able to read.

To some these may not be overly exciting, but to me they are some of the things that I am grateful to have experienced.  No two days are the same, every day is a piece of history and every day brings with it the mystery of the unknown.

What have you been happy to experience in the last few days?

              Cheers Dilly xx

To Tatt or not to Tatt ??

That is a question I pondered for years.



Do I permanently ink my body with something I may despise further down the track? 

Do I just do it to satisfy the curiosity that intrigues me about them?

Do I have a mid life crisis and just take the plunge?

I think I will do all these.

A tattoo was always something that other people did.. People of a certain type ..that being a bit rough around the edges.  It was something that none of my family had ever really encountered.  I wanted one so bad !!!

For years I would look at other peoples works of body art .. and if they are good they are most defiantly art... and yearn for one myself.  I went close a couple of times but I knew through others that it hurts so chickened out.  Figured I was too much of a wimp to even truly contemplate it.

I have seen beautiful flowers and and funny illustrations.  I have seen symbols and names in foreign writing.  I have marvelled over the delicate out lines depicting personal experiences that people have chosen to have placed onto their body's in tribute to those they have lost. I have seen things I personally would rather not have but in the end it is each to their own.

What changed my mind to get one??  My hub did.    Alot of men have tattoos but he did not. This changed when he came home one day and declared he and some mates had decided to go and have matching ones placed on their shoulders in a sign of solidarity and mateship.  Anyway off they all went and had a Southern Cross of stars tattooed onto their backs.  I have to admit I was not to keen on the 'teal' colour ( the colour is a joke between some friends and us ) but I think the symbol of the stars is very patriotic.  So there were 5 blokes with matching stars, a symbol of their friendship permanently inked into their body's. 

He did inform me that it was the most painful thing he had ever had done.  What a wimp I said to myself ... he had not ever been thorough labour pains .. so if he could do it so could I !!  

It made me want one even more ....

What to have?

Do I have straight black or coloured?

Where do I have it put?

How big?

Ooooo the decisions !!

My sister was up visiting and I mentioned it to her and she too was keen !!  Lets go do it we decided. Sisterhood at its best !

I wanted something that represented me, something not too big and showed my love of Tasmania's wildlife.  I thought about a Tas Devil footprint but to the average person it would have looked like a dogs.  A Wombat? I liked that idea and if Lilly had been with us at that stage I would have taken a print of her paw and had that inked onto me, but in the end I chose an Echidna print.



For those of you that do not know what an Echidna is, well .. some people call them a porcupine although they are in no way related.  They are small and covered in spines. They eat ants but the most amazing thing is that they are a Monotreme which means they are a mammal that lays eggs. 



Tatt number 1
Echidna Foot Print



How unique is that !!  The closest living relative they have is the platypus and we have them both in our state.  Also their hind paw print is amazing.. so that was decision made.

My sister who is fantastic at art drew herself a dragon fly so we were off !

It was slightly daunting I must admit walking into the studio to see all sorts of pictures staring down at you. People with tatts covering their body's waiting for more and here we were .. 2 girls taking a big bite of courage to have our first ones done. Gulp !!

We met the man who was going to ink us and he was covered all over.  To be honest he looked rather scary but when we got going we realised he was lovely and I think he found us rather amusing.

I went first.  Ok yep .. It did hurt slightly but I have felt far worse.  Took about 15 mins and Ta Da.... finished .. I LOVED IT !!  I wanted more NOW !!  My sister had hers placed on her foot and it looks lovely.

We rewarded our selves with a big slice of chocolate cake .. because we could .. and carried on our happy way with our new tattoos bandaged in cling wrap.

Number 2

Symbol of fire of which I am born under

Ok I had caught the bug .. the one that sends you back for more.  I had recently turned the big 40 so I felt I deserved another just for getting that far.

I thought about a symbol of the earth to tie in with my Echidna but in the end chose a symbol of fire as I am born under the fire sign.  yep this one really hurt.  I sat there with a forced smile on my face as it was etched into my back pretending that it was all great .. ouch .. was glad when it was over.

So I now have 2 and desperately want a third.  I prefer odd numbers to even so am thinking of having my last name in italic writing placed onto my foot.  I will do it in the near future I hope.

So I am glad that I waited until I was older and could make a choice that I am completely happy with.  I am able to cover them if I so choose or I can show them if I want as well.

I know compared to many they are not very adventurous but for me they are perfect.

If you are considering a dab of ink I say .. go for it !!!  You only live once and Hey .. whats a bit of pain for a great ending ..  I don't regret it one little bit !!

                Cheers Dilly xx



We will Remember them ...

ANZAC .. What does it mean to you?  As an Australian it means a great deal to me.

Australian New Zealand Army Corps. 
A legend founded on the grounds of a foreign country 97 years ago this 25th April 2012.
A legend of sacrifice and determination unsurpassed by any other.
It is a day that we as a country should be proud of.

As we celebrate this special day I take time to remember all it stands for.  Of mate ship and friendships lost.
Of battles which maybe we should never have been involved in.
Of young men and women sent to places unknown with the idea of adventure.  Boys of 16 and  younger off to see the world. The romanticism of it all was such a draw card for so many.
The reality was as far from these dreams as one could imagine.
The total waste of life.

War for any country is something that I assume tries to be avoided.  Many are fought over land or religion.  I do not understand how this can be worth killing for.  Of destroying the foundations of their own country and devastating the lives of innocent people who happen to be born into that part of the world, to me seems totally unjustified, but then I am not part of that.

Our soldiers, our young men, totally unprepared for what they were facing sacrificed their lives for a belief many had no idea of.
To battle on foreign soil and spill their blood in the name of freedom. 
To be sent into wars of time gone past, but still we must remember them.

We Remember the families they left behind. 
 The children who never met their fathers. 
The families who lost their children to wars that shattered our great country.

We will remember them.



We remember those who serve in foreign parts to this day.  Of those who are still fighting to retain the safety of our lives and those of countries not as fortunate as ours.

We spare a thought to the families who now wait for their loved ones to return safely to their arms.



Photo by 
Tasnature



We will remember them.

ANZAC day to me is a time for reflection and a time for hope.  It represents all that Australia stands for.  A country founded on mate ship and comradery. Of loyalty and pride. Of bravery and sacrifice.

My ferals and I will be at the service today.  We will stand tall and bow our heads in respect.  I hope my boys will continue this honour and will set an example for the next generations to come.  To wear the medals of their for-fathers with pride and to truly understand what it means to be Australian.



We will remember them .....

                                       Cheers Dilly xx







The spoon

If your home was suddenly to catch on fire what would you grab to save from the flames?
I would of course grab the ferals, animals and photographs but I would also reach for a spoon.
A spoon I hear you ask? Yes a spoon.

It not an ordinary spoon by any means.  It is old and very well worn.  It is tarnished and ground down on one side.  It sits lopsided on the bench and is dented.  But this spoon belonged to my Grandmother and now it belongs to me.

My Grandmother was an amazing person.  Loving, kind, extremely talented in painting and music, always there and full of cuddles at any time I needed them.  We were very close.

She was also an amazing 'old fashioned' cook.  One of those cooks who still used all the butter and dripping. One that made everything from scratch.  She made the most awesome apple pies and strawberry short cake.  Tins of biscuits were always on hand for us grandchildren to devour.  She was all a grandmother was supposed to be.

The spoon worked many a delicious cake into a masterpiece.  Stirred home made gravy and hot custards that have never tasted the same since.  This is why it is so worn on the rim ..

The spoon is a little reminder of her so when I reach for it from my kitchen drawer I marvel over all it has helped create.  I just wish her cooking prowess was channelled through it !!

So to some it may just be a spoon.  The ferals know all it means to me and have commented on its worn ways but they do seem to understand.  She never met them but I know they would have loved her as much as I do. 

So to my Grandma, thanks for the memories. Your spoon will be treasured and I hope to hand it down to a feral when they are older.  Who knows.. maybe one of them will be a chef extraordinaire and the spoon will stir the way.

What would you save??

             Cheers Dilly xx          

      I dedicate this to my Grandmother.
Today the 23rd of April is her
 Birthday xxx
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Camping

Camping.  There is something about the word.  Camping.  Does it bring to mind bugs in your sleeping bag and possums in the food or does it bring thoughts of good times, marshmallows on the fire and good friends made?.  To me it brings all that and more.



The current beast !!

 Childhood camping.  Firstly I would like to say to my dear Dad,  I know you dislike the beach but I want to thank you for putting up with all that sand year after year to give us a holiday. I can still see you sitting in our tent brushing the sand away from your camera cursing it under your breath.  Thanks Dad.

Camping when I was a kid was always great.  We would meet our cousins who lived in our capital city for a week of fun and frolicking at one of the most beautiful beaches in Tasmania. We would spend time building sandcastles, swimming in the crystal clear waters and spotlighting all the little creatures who dared visit our camp site in the evening.

We would spend time in each others tents and just talk.  Ride in our inflatable boat and just soak up the rays of our beautiful summers.

Fishing for the evening meal or trying to catch the huge swimmer crabs that had a habit of pinching our toes under the water.  It was idyllic.

We had an old blue tent with a kitchen area and enclosed sleeping spot.  My sister and I would be in one side and mum and dad the other.  This worked just fine until my sister and I grew bigger so then poor dad was relegated to sleeping in the kitchen area.  I can still remember my father battling the possums that made their way into our tent at night to scrounge food.  They would be running around our little sleeping cocoon with their claws putting pin pricks in the fabric and my dad would be chasing them just as fast to get them out.  We thought it great fun.  I don't think much sleep was had on these trips.

The beach.  Crystal waters, beautiful granite formations, majestic mountains overseeing all that happens below. Swimming from sunrise to sunset. Playing and making new friends. Exploring the rock pools that were full of mysterious creatures of the sea.  Ants that bite a nasty bite. My sister was always the one to be bitten.  She just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on too may occasions.

Bush walks over the mountains to magnificent bays below.  The tracks back then were rough and difficult, not like today when they are so structured and accessible that anyone can attempt them.
Collecting the most dainty precious shells and hanging them off our earrings.  Sand so white and clean it squeaked when you walked on it. Four girls making sand angels in a row and running up and down sand dunes.  So much fun.

The animals. Wallaby's, possums, birds of all varieties visiting us to see what tasty morsel they could coax from our fingers. Poking into the pouches to see if a little surprise packages would peer back out at us.  Such delight if there was.  A tiny face inquisitive and innocent of fear.  These are just some of my camping memories.

Now we take our own ferals on the road to places unknown.  We do not have a tent but an old reliable ( except when it rains heavily...leaks ) caravan with an annex off the side.
The boys have bunk beds at one end and us at the other.
They pack everything they possibly can just in case..Just in case of what I ask?

The anticipation of going can be too much for them.  They will be set up in their beds even before we have finished packing any of the essentials.  They are always eager to fill the van but that eagerness disappears fast when it comes to unloading.

They have experienced going to bed covered in sand and dirt with big smiles on their sun kissed faces.  They have walked those same mountains I did as a child and have seen dolphins and whales swim past.  They have played with the wildlife and spent hours in the water soaking up the pure exhilarating of what it has to offer.

They have climbed and rock hopped over many bays in search of the perfect rock pool.  The one that has the most sea creatures you can imagine.  They have jumped off huge rocks into the embrace of the sea that is way out of their depth. They have snorkeled for hours following schools of brightly coloured fish.  It is possible to squeal with delight with a snorkel in ones mouth.

They have roasted marshmallows and made billy tea.
They have spent till midnight playing outside with new friends.  Games of hide and seek and chasing's that end up with them all falling into a deep slumber soothed by the waves washing up on the beach beside us.



Weed and friend made ..

  They have not watched TV or played with computer games.  They have only watched what surrounds them and it teaches far more.

I do hope they will remember these times.  These times of freedom, innocence and childhood imagination.  They are some of the best memories for me.

Camping may not be for everyone but it is something all should at least attempt at some stage.  Put it on your 'to do' list.  Get back to nature and if there are a few luxuries still thrown in that is fine as we all still need that from time to time.

So don't worry about the bugs in your bed or sand in your hair, just enjoy it for what it has to offer and don't forget to take a chair, sit back and watch the sun sizzle as it sets over the water.

Cheers Dilly xx

I thought I could Dance ...

The curtain rises. The anticipation builds and the lights shine a beam on little faces .. one of them mine, all looking totally terrified and nervous as we force that required smile out to the audience of biased parents.  Yep I am talking about dance school or Ballet for me to be more exact.

I must have started Ballet at about the age of 6.  I loved it.  Like most girls I had the dream of being a Prima Ballerina in beautiful tutus and spinning around on my toes.  Of dancing with a troupe to Swan Lake and collecting the flowers thrown to me by the appreciative audience at the end of the recital.  Ooo a child's dreams can be exciting but sometimes reality hurts !

Point your toes, turn your ankles out, bend your knees and have a long graceful neck.  Bend Bend Bend !!!  Flowing arms, delicate fingers, move with grace and fluidity.  Bend Bend Bend !!! Stretch your body, warm up at the bare, can you do the splits today? No No No !! 

Plie, Arabesque, Pas de chat, Jete Jete, Pirouette. Names totally foreign to me.  Names that sounded so romantic but in reality were brutal and difficult for a young body.  Still I loved it.



I must have been about 8 here

 I was always told to bend. Bend my knees more, get lower in a Plie, deeper in to the move.  Bend my body back more, arch it gracefully while all the time keeping my shoulders down and my neck long.

Round my arms and turn my feet out, Bend , Bend , Bend!!  I could not bend.

I have since been informed by my cruel but wonderful physio that there was no way in this world I was going to be able to BEND into all the postitons that were required of me back then.  My body would not then or now ever have allowed it.  Ligaments way too tight and short for any bending so I can look back now and say to my self I did my best. Still I loved it.

Music played on the piano for us to practise to.  Long mirrors to watch our- selves spin and dance in. Learning new steps, new dances full of promise for the stardom that we were all sure we were heading for.  Who would be the lead, who would wear the best costume, who would do a solo?  When would we be on the stage?

Little girls in blue leotards, pink stockings and soft pink ballet shoes with ribbon wound around our ankles to keep them on. Oh how I loved my shoes. Soft and delicate.  I think we all felt that just by putting them on we would all magically be graceful. Hair pulled back into buns so tight it was like having an instant face lift.  Rubbing our feet in the resin to stop us slipping as we twirled around the room.  I loved it.

Costumes.  My mum spending hours creating the most beautiful dresses.  Spending days sewing sequins on so I could glitter from the stage.  Tutus, character dance, Sunbeam and 'Tittle mouse' costumes to name a few.  I don't know how she did it to be honest.  We still have them.  I look at them with yearning and also admiration for what they represent.  A time of innocence and dreams. My beautiful niece now wears them for dress up and its like time has stood still seeing her in them.
I think most dance schools now hire costumes to the students.  But mine were made by mum.

End of year concerts.  All our preparation to be put on show.  Costumes made, rehearsals finished and now time for the grand appearances. 
Change rooms full of giggling girls.  Makeup being applied thick and dramatic.  Remembering our teacher holding us down to apply eye liner that hurt.  Hair slicked back and shining with decorations matching our costumes to complete the look.
Gathering at the side of the stage waiting our turn as all of our parents sat in the audience preparing for their child's gleaming performance. Nervous.

Then it was time.  Curtain up, lights on and smiles.  Trying to remember the routine as my nerves take hold and all I want to do is run off the stage somewhere safe.  Jump, bend, twirl, bend, curtsy, applause it was over.  Still I loved it.

I must have done Ballet for around 6 years.  It became harder as I grew.  Point shoes made me 6ft which for a dancer is not ideal,  but still I do not regret a day of it at all.

Ballet teaches discipline and poise.  It provides a wonderful basis for many activities.  It builds strength and stamina. 

It has taught me to stand tall and when I want to I can be graceful.

My Weed boy would be an amazing dancer.  He is built for it, slim with long limbs and a stance that just radiates dance, but trying to convince a 6 year old male to take up ballet or any other dance for that matter is near impossible.

So I will continue to live my dance dreams through my niece.  I ironically now work at the theatre where I did so many performances as a child and it really has not changed.  The ghosts of my ballet days still ring true back stage and I am glad at least I get to hold onto just a small part of it so the spirit of my dance can still live on in me.

                       Cheers Dilly xx

Shoes ... Ooo .. Ahhh

I have just passed something that makes my heart flutter with desire. 
 Something that is calling me with the words  "you need me" in a voice that only I can hear.  Something that can bring me to my knees with longing and block everything else out of my tunnel vision.  SHOES !!
Need I elaborate ... I don't think so.

Those pieces of deceased cow skin that are so perfectly cut and shaped to create the most divine piece of foot wear.  Yes I do feel for the cow but I am sure if they saw the finished product so daintily placed on my hoof they would give the ok !
The smell ... all new and not stinking of smelly foot pong.
The colours : Black, Cherry red, Tan ... yes I am dribbling a big pool on the desk .. Burgundy.  Ooo the delight of the rainbow dances before me.  Oh how I wish I was in the land of Oz and could be tapping my red shoes together instead of just gawking at them with my mouth half open.  Get a grip girl I must remind myself !

Shoes.  There is something about shoes.  You are either a shoe girl or not.  If you are not then I am sorry but you do not know what you are missing.
They have a way of making one feel complete in an outfit.  They can make or break it.  You do not want to spend zillions of $$$ on an outfit and then to wear shoes that have been around the block a few too many times.  It is just not on !!  Its like putting hot milk into something cold...  a big curdled mess !! Shame Shame Shame...

Shoe are supposed to fit perfectly.  To feel like they are part of you and hug your foot as snug as a bug in a rug but in all truths "one must suffer to be beautiful". 

Ok so that pair of divine Red Boots... I know the ones.. the ones I have been waiting my whole life for have just caught my eye in the shop window 200mts ahead.  They are calling me to try, to feel and to goo over.  I ask for my size and the ever smiling assistant says she is sure they have it.  I sit on the stool in anticipation for their Fan Fare arrival only to be told when she re-emerges that " sorry we have every size but yours !!"  What !!! That is not how the story is supposed to go .. she is meant to bring them out on a velvet cushion to the sound of trumpets playing !! 

I try not to show my disappointment and politely ask, as I wipe the impending tears from my eyes, which sizes she does have.  Yes the larger and the smaller.  Ok, so I will try them.  The larger ones first. 
Now I have reasonable size feet that do give me a decent hold on this earth.  One foot is unfortunately half a size bigger than the other and both have gone up nearly two sizes since the ferals were hatched.  I had heard this does happen but would rather this than to loose a tooth for each born instead. It can though make shoe shopping rather difficult.
The larger size though are too big.  I am sure I would trip over my delicate hooves if I was to strut my stuff down the main street and make a not so lady like blob on the footpath.  So I will have to try the smaller.

I point my toe and pull !!! They will fit .. they must fit ..I think I can.. I think I can... I will positively cry if they don't.  My assistant grabs a shoe horn and gives me the "I understand " look.  Finally they are on ! Yippee. 
Ok so my toes are now squished to within an inch of their life and I am sure will emerge a deformed shape and yes, I am walking like my undergarments have gone to places out of bounds BUT they are on  !!  Yep I am sure they will stretch .. they are a dead cow and a cows tummy stretches with food, so it is only logical right?? Sold !!!
I don't care about the blisters or the rubbing.  I don't care about the walk because in my mind everyone is looking at my beautiful new Red Boots with the utmost respect and desire.  They are not looking at that 40 something woman with the weird walk hobbling up the street.

So I continue to wear and yes they do give a little but that's better than nothing.  I have worked out the walk and still get pleasure from the " OOO where did you get them ?" comments.
I may not live in the land of make believe but with these boots on my feet I can go anywhere.

I have oodles of shoes.  I collect them like some collect tea spoons.  I have them arranged in my cupboard just for me to gaze at and I have the enjoyment of choosing which ones will grace my tootsies that day.  If I could wear nothing but shoes I would but I don't think it would be a very pretty sight for the unsuspecting audience.

I have cheapies and ones that I really shouldn't have paid that much for.  I have a great pair I found on sale $150 cheaper than the original price... What a bargain !!  I wear them all and get that little rush of satisfaction when I do. 
For years I would not wear heels.  I'm too tall with them on I thought to myself, well now I just don't care.  If I am 6ft 2 in a pair of awesome heels then lucky me.

So I say if you are not a shoe girl don't despair as their is still hope and time.  Maybe you will come to understand the joy of the deceased Bovine.  Its all about recycling right ??

So strap on your favourites and stand tall.  Strut your stuff and feel good about your self because even if you feel cruddy on the inside at least your feet will look a Million Dollars and I will notice them I guarantee !!!

                  Cheers Dilly  xxx

Stop, Look and Listen

Have you ever just stopped and listened?
Have you ever just stopped and really looked?
Have you ever really taken the time to look around you and hear all that is passing you by?

Just try it.  Walk to an intersection, stop and watch all the faces of those walking past. Everyone with their own purpose, their own destination. Their own troubles and their own joys.

We are quick to judge but looks are not always as they seem.
 I wonder what really is on the mind of the older man sitting on the bench.  Maybe he is a returned veteran from one of the wars who has never found the desire to talk about all that he saw.  Maybe the memories are too painful that he tries to block them out.  He is a true hero but would never admit it.  I wonder if his family are aware of his anguish?

The smart dressed lady who is rushing from one store to another.  She must be about 60, stylish hair and obviously takes pride in her appearance.  She has a big smile on her face.  I wonder if she is purchasing items for a new grandchild who has finally filled the empty hole in her heart?  Maybe she has a secret she hangs on to with a sly grin?  I wonder if her Husband knows?

The young mum totally overwhelmed by the child she is pushing around in a pram screaming.  She is doing the best she can with the stares from passers -by burning into her as she tries to calm her child.  I wonder if this babe was planned or is a bundle who has totally thrown her world upside down but, who is also determined to finish her education and provide the best life she can for them both? We should not assume.

We are quick to judge.  We do not know the story's of these people and we can make up our own but they are the only ones who will ever really know.  We live in our little cocoon of comfort and safety that gives us a feeling of belonging.  Do these people have that feeling?

Do you ever stop, look and listen to the colours and sounds that come at us from all angles? 
 Did you see the new flash of yellow that has been painted on the door of the home at number 2? 
 Did you hear the birds calling in the morning to herald a new day?
Did the sound of an ambulance in the far distance give you cold shivers as you prayed it was no one you knew?  Do we remember though, that person is known and loved by somebody?  Many of us don't.

Did you see the beautiful red roses blooming through the fence next door?  Did you get a waft of their scent as you walked past?? 
Did you take the time to wave to the family over the road who were sitting on their veranda having tea?
Did you see the sunset that evening turn from orange to red with a fire yellow in between?
 The answer is probably not .

Our lives in the year 2012 are hectic.  They do not truly give us time to stop and smell the roses.  In between running children from one activity to the next and working either in our homes or a Job that takes you away from a family that needs you, we just don't seem to have time.

Why have we become busier?  What has changed?
Is there more expectation that we will provide more for our children?  Is it assumed that you must have 3 or more activities for your kids each week?  Is it peer pressure? I think in part .. yes.

Children defiantly want more.  It only takes one in a class room to have the latest fandangled computer game or toy for them all to desire it.
There is the expectation that they WILL have it.
The term " Sorry but I can not afford it" seems to be incomprehensible to many of them as they do tend to think money just comes out of the hole in the wall so we should just go and get some more.
It can be a hard lesson for them to learn.

We have become hardened to what goes on around us.  We can drive past a horrible accident, say to ourselves how terrible it is then keep driving with out giving it another thought.
We can watch the news and every night the announcer will say "Good Evening" and then go on to tell us why it is not. 
Have we become so desensitised to the atrocities going on around us that we really don't give it a second thought? Yes I think we have.

We do need to Stop, Look and Listen.  We need to acknowledge that the world does not revolve around our own little cocoon.  That life can be hard and even harder for some.
I realise I have been superficial at times and I believe we all are to some degree.  I can joke on my blog as I really enjoy expressing who I am and what I am capable of but I do know I need to take my own advice and Stop, Look and Listen to what surrounds me.  I really don't want to miss it as I think it is a ride worth taking .

Womans best friend

A DOG.  A hairy creature of wolf like appearance.   An intelligent mammal that has seemed to have wiggled its way into most of our lives.  An animal of habit and loyalty.  I am sure many people could learn a thing or two from a dog.

A dog has long been a figure of the average family.  Parents, 2 kids and a dog.  Some how they always seem to fit into the equation, (That along with the cat, guinea pigs, birds , fish and wombat )

but I do truly believe all children should have a dog if they can.

I grew up with dogs ( and the rest). Candy was her name.  A funny little terrier x something her mother was frightened by one day out wandering.  My Aunt and cousins had her mother .. Topsy, and my mum grew up with Cindy the grandmother dog.  It was a family affair. 

Candy was there before I was born and I know she had her little black nose put out of joint when I arrived.  No longer was she the baby ...  she had become the GERM !!  But still I have very fond memories of her.  Ones like ... the horrible snorting sucking sound she made when she scratched with her teeth, or of her bad bad breath.  Poor old girl has been gone quite a while now but she was still the first positive contact I had with a pooch.

All my relatives had dogs.  Besides Topsy at my Aunts she also had Scampie.  He was a full throttle dog from what I remember but still a loyal and fun friend.  I think he was always with us as we took off across the horse paddock into the creek area to play "The famous 5" and of course he was our Timmy.

My grandmother on my dads side greatly resembled the Queen Mother so of course she had  .. yep you guessed it .. a Corgi called Sammy.  He was a huge corgi with the biggest flappy ears.  I always will remember him sitting at her feet, both of them looking like royalty.

My other Cousins had a dog called Doodle.  Yep Doodle or Doowee as affectionately called.  Doodle was bough from a pet shop in our capital city.  A terrier of sort, black with a grey hair on his head and beard to match.  He was the Devil dog in disguise.  I am sure a book could be written about Doodle. 

He lived on the western side of the river in our local city but one time he disappeared.  He ended up miles away on the eastern side at my grandmothers.  We still think he must have caught the ferry. 



Joe



He would also go exploring and go down rabbit burrows usually getting stuck and then having to call in the neighbour -hood to dig him out.  He lived to a grand old age.  I still remember seeing him, a frail old man with his tongue hanging out the side as he could no longer hold it in, stumbling out to greet us.  I can still hear my aunt yelling  DOOOOWEEE at the top of her voice as she tried to coax him back.  He was a true legend.

We have also had Emily the Golden spaniel who was not really a dog but a fairy princess in disguise, Maddy the neurotic Staff Bull Terrier who was a real sook but very special, Koolie my Kelpie Koolie x who was rescued from a dog shelter and was the most incredible dog that ever there was.  He passed away far too soon.
My sister has a Pug called Captain Cupcake or CC for short.  He is one of those ugly cute dogs and is, I have to admit, totally adorable with all his snorts and snores included.
Now my parents have Nell, another spaniel fairy princess and we have Joe.

Joe, just your average Joe I call him.  He was rescued by the RSPCA after having been abused.  A Labrador x Red Heeler and what a fantastic combo this makes.  Smart, gentle, bit silly at times and very very loyal  He is my dog.  I trained him and care for him and he repays me by following me everywhere.
He will not get out of bed in the mornings until I do.  He will follow me to the bathroom and just sit there looking at me and even now is curled up on my feet.  He is my loyal companion who I would trust to protect me and the ferals.

Its funny how years ago Fifi would meet Fido down the park.  Things would happen and Fifi would go home a fallen woman, to then have a litter of 'mutts'.  Yep a cross breed no one wanted that would then be given away.
Now those same 'mutts' are called designer dogs.  A cross between anything imaginable with silly names to boot !!
I do realise that by crossing certain breeds you can get the best out of both and they can be great for families but the cost is ridiculous. !!!

A dog is a pet I believe for life.  It is not something that should cost the earth to purchase.  Joe came to me with the works done.  Vaccinated, micro chipped, wormed and de sexed.  He was a token amount and I know that money goes back into the well being of others. But when Dogs become a status symbol I think we have gone too far. It is a privilege to own one not a right.

A dog can teach a child so so much.  They learn to care and respect. To love unconditionally.  Have you ever noticed that when ever you take you dog out somewhere it is always happy to be there even though it had no idea where it was going ?  ( Except maybe the vets! )
A dog teaches loyalty and responsibility.  It can help sooth an irritable child and can help mend a broken heart.  They are always there.  You can insult and yell at a dog and it will never turn its back on you and not talk to you again for days.  It is a loyalty that we humans could follow by example.

I like a dog dog.  As much as the little fluffy dogs are ideal for those with limited space and time I personally prefer a dog that looks like it could run a marathon and play ball till the sun goes down.  One that can swim in the sea and jump into rivers from a great height. An 'all terrain vehicle' dog.
A dog that can and will go anywhere and a good decent size too.

But in the end we all love our pooches.  They are substitute children for many and I totally get that. It does not matter what they look like, how they smell or what they got up to last night ... yes Joe I am talking to you...its the unconditional love they bring to us to help maybe fill a hole in our lives or to just provide the companionship that so many are longing for.  They are creatures of unending love and I am so grate full to have this in my world.

A Dog truly is mans  this woman's best friend !

Cheers Dilly xxx

Ahhhhh Chooooo..

Its that time of year again. 
 The time when the leaves start to turn their glorious shades of red and orange. 
The time when we start to hunt out our winter woollies in anticipation of that cold snap we know is coming.
The time when we contemplate lighting the fire to warm ourselves.
The time when MAN FLU rears its ugly head again.  Yep its that time !

Man Flu.  Let us think about it for a moment.  Man ... woman .. humans as a whole. 
Flu .. a sickness that affects both men and women but unfortunately for the male species it is a far far worse affliction.

Man Flu starts at a very early age.  I think it entered my house when the ferals were about 2.  Up until then they were just sick.  You know the usual sniff and cough but yes around the age of 2 little Boy Flu started to emerge.

I shall call it Boy Flu because up until the age of 6 I think the true symptoms are still rather intermittent.  Boy Flu does affect the nose, the eyes and cause a cough but these can be minor. The main affliction that comes with this horrid 'disease' is the moaning.  Yep, that sound all of us women hear when it is flu season again.  At least with Boy Flu a quick kiss and cuddle can work wonders along with a dose of 'medicine' everything can return to almost normal in an instant !

But MAN FLU ... well that's another story all together.
This flu consists of a runny nose that very rarely needs blowing.  A cough that I personally could do a better job of with my very limited acting ability and the question "Do I have a temperature?".  Of course he doesn't ..He has MAN FLU !!!

It does at times force the afflicted male to bed with sleep apparently the only answer.  It affects them so so badly that they are incapable of  doing anything that involves children or home duties.  Shocking for them really...I almost feel sorry for them ..almost..

The moaning in the adult male is of cataclysmic proportions.  Those of us who have experienced it will defiantly know what I mean.  "But I ammmmm siiiccckkk"  or " Cant you see I am dying here!" being a few of the terms used.  Add a deep guttural moan to this and yep its Man Flu.
I will recommend taking some medicine of some sort but often this is met with "I don't need it".  Well he may not need it but I sure as hell do !! 

Man Flu seems to be a big talking point between the male species.  Who had the worst cough or the highest temperature, or whose partner showed the least amount of sympathy ( I usually win that award !! ).  They get together and compare symptoms like hens around a food bowl.  Lots of noise but not alot of action.  I am glad though that they have each other to compare notes with as I am sure it does wonders for the male ego.

When I or the female species as a whole are sick well that is a different thing all together. 
 I have to admit when I get a cold I really get a cold.  It knocks me for a six.  I do spend my days blowing my honker as proved by the nest of tissues that managed to breed over night next to my bed.  I cough real coughs that make my body ache with the exertion of them and I do often have a temperature that can cause me to have hallucinations during the night. 
 I am honestly sick BUT, I still manage to heave myself out of bed, send the ferals off to school, clean the house, cook and then pick the ferals up and start all over again.  I do so with minimal moaning and if I do try to rest I can always be found hiding under the covers by following the tissue trail to my bed side. 

I will take the appropriate concoction of pills to ease the symptoms and I will battle on because if I don't .. who will?

Man Flu or the common cold as it is otherwise known to the female species is as we all know a horrible illness to have.  It can drive us crazy with stoopid symptoms and can be gone as quick as it arrives.  I have a pet hate and that being people who have a cold calling it the FLU.  I can guarantee if you had the flu you would really know about it. 

So in retrospect Man Flu is here to stay.  If we can help ease the pain for us all, we have done our job.  I will encourage the ferals to acknowledge the difference between a cold and Man Flu in the hope that they will start a new breed of men who actually know the difference. I do suspect though this will be in vain as it seems to be inbuilt in to their DNA.

For all you women out there I wish you the best of luck this Flu season.  I hope you do not fall victim to the dreaded side effects of Man Flu and if you are unlucky enough to have it enter your home I suggest ear plugs, wine and a good girly movie.  That is guaranteed to send them snivelling in the other direction.

                       Cheers Dilly xx


Ps: To Hub... I know you really are sick when you have it too.. xxxxx  ;)

In the Old (en) Days..

My kids still laugh at the thought and can not quite grasp I was born before a DS was an integral part of society.  Am I that old ??  Sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder who the hell is looking back at me.  Where on earth did that wrinkle come from?  That grey hair I am sure was not there yesterday and that a stronger bra is now needed to give the girls more lift than before.


A child of the 1970s.  Nearly a flower child.  It is still in me that desire to live off the land, wear long robes and flowers in my hair, but this is where my journey has taken me.


I was born when colour TV was not common.  I remember we had about 5 black and white TVs during a few years.  There was one that when you pressed a button on the set that it lit up and made noises resembling a space ship as it changed to one of 2.. yes 2 channels.  I thought it was so cool.  So modern, so OMG I cant believe I loved it.  But it is a memory worth smiling about.


My beloved Grandma was the first in our family to have colour.  Wow .. we would love to go to her place and watch the soapies that were popular at the time.  She eventually gave us that TV when she up- graded to a newer model.  It was great !


We had an old station waggon.  I recall going to the drive- in lying in the boot wearing my pjs to watch some movie.  Putting the sound box in the window and giggling with my sister as we rolled about the back. I wish we still had the drive in...
This car did not even have seat belts !  I was so excited when we finally got a car that had them..How cool was that !!


I remember when CD players came on the market.  I had my tape player, my vinyl record player .. what more did I need !!  Anyway CD players were not going to be around for long I remember saying to myself.
How wrong was I !!  That old tape deck is probably worth about $1 now but nothing still beats the sound of a vinyl album being played.


Computers .. huh??  What were they?  In high school we had the choice to learn about them or not.  I chose not, after all geeks were the only ones to use computers!!  So I now humbly apologise to all those who did computer studies back then.  Yep you were right I was wrong.. Phew .. feel better now  ..


I was thinking that my boys will probably never physically take a pen to paper and write a letter to a friend.
The joy of going to the mail box to receive a letter will most likely bypass them.  I loved receiving letters written on pretty paper with my friends handwriting on the envelope so I would know who it was from even before I opened it. Knowing that letter was written for me and only me.  It is a shame really.


I was born when people still communicated by phone.  Not mobile phones but real phones that you had to stick your fingers in the dial and spin around to ring the number.  We communicated through speech.  We just communicated.  Don't get me wrong, I do love my mobile phone.  It is only one of the basic ones.  No smart phone for me, and I do love to text.. those who know me can vouch for that,  but its still not the same as calling a family member or friend just to say HI !!


There are so may different gadgets out there now that my mind boggles as to why we as a society need them? We survived before and we could survive now.  Shock horror we might have to physically lift our bodies from the chair to change the TV channel !!! ...


I know its called progress. Its called technology and the brains that create it are amazing, but part of me still wishes for the simpler way.  The more personal way.  The human way of staying in touch.


So yes I was born before the DS, the WII, the remote everything.  I am sure technology will continue to advance and provide us with more stuff that we really don't need.  I also know I will continue to text and email. But I do remember and I wont forget !!.


What were you born before ??




Cheers  Dilly xx