Dance Me To The End Of Love* - Blogtoberfest: jour trente-et-un

 Blogtoberfest is done! 

I have survived Blogtoberfest for another year. I am proud to say that while I didn't blog every day, I posted for every day. When I forgot I made it up and when the internet conspired against me - I posted belatedly.

This is my best Blogtoberfest effort so far. Apart from that it has been an action packed month. Today I was planning to look back at the month being the last day of October. I have decided against this approach for the simple reason that you can look back and see the events of the month!

It has been a time of ups and downs this past 6 months in our home but I believe that things are shifting and we can look forward with hope to what is around the corner.

I have enjoyed Blogtoberfest this year despite being sick for some of it. The school holidays were a positive thing for my blogging, as I had more time and was able to think about and prepare some posts in advance. This made it heaps easier.

I wanted to thank our lovely host tinniegirl for once again hosting this festival of blogging.

I began this post yesterday, but in the end I changed my mind, so really there is no point to this post now, but I felt the song was appropriate, so here tis!

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love 

*Dance Me To The End of Love - Leonard Cohen

The Book Of Love* - Part X - Blogtoberfest: jour trente-et-un

41. The Saving Graces - Patricia Gaffney

 sourced at Google Images

42. There But For The - Ali Smith

 sourced at Google Images

43. Maximum Impact - Jack Henderson

 sourced at Google Images

44. Dark Lady - Richard North Patterson

 sourced at Google Images

And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things

*The Book of Love - Peter Gabriel

Earth Day Every Day* - Blogtoberfest: de trente jours

Today I lay down and hugged the Earth

it fed my soul

  
and it was good!

Celebrate morning
The cry of a loon on a lake in the night
the dreams that are born in the dawns early light
Celebrate morning

Celebrate living
The laughter that sings in the heart of a child
The freedom that flies at the call of the wild
Celebrate living

Celebrate evening
The stars that appear in the loss of the sun
Whispering winds, We are one, we are one...

Celebrate earth Day, every day
Celebrate earth Day, every day
Celebrate land and sea
Celebrate you and me
Celebrate earth Day, every day

*Earth Day Every Day (Celebrate) - John Denver

Shiny Apple* - Blogtoberfest: jour de vingt a neuf

Thwarted, derailed, stonewalled, hindered and obstructed by the internet yesterday, in my attempts to post this!

igot

ithink

ilove

ima

itragic :)

Shiny apple rotten on the inside
Skin is smooth but you soul is soft
Oh you look so appetising but
Taste the truth it’ll make you spit

*Shiny Apple - The Waifs

Old Friends* - Blogtoberfest: vingt-huit jours

 One of the things I have missed, while I have been unwell, is seeing friends. I am a very social person, and my illness has prevented a lot of getting out and doing things. 

Of course things are changing now as my rehab continues, but I had a chance to reflect on this after a visit from an old friend this week.

I've known Linda since we were at Uni together and played in the same cricket teams for years, back in Canberra, so I guess I have known her about 25 years or more. Linda lives in Sydney, and we haven't seen each other for four years. This week she was in town and it was looking for a while as if we might not be able to get together, but happily, she was able to come over on Wednesday and ended up sharing a meal with us.

It was such a great night. I remembered what it is like to hang out with people who I know well and who know me well, it was brilliant. It is comfortable, fun, honest and extraordinarily ordinary!

I had the best time and it reminded me that I need to rekindle some old friendships. It's time to let my friends know I am available once more for chatter and eating and drinking (although maybe a little less red wine, might be better next time!)

I do not want to forget again,  how important it is to have people in my life who know me well. I am blessed with many such friends and so thankful to Linda for reminding me.

 

 

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
Silently sharing the same fears

*Old Friends - Simon and Garfunkel

The One Thing I know* - Blogtoberfest: de vingt a sept jours

This last week of Blogtoberfest, I am being inspired (and saved from having to think) by post ideas from others. Today's post is inspired by an invitation from 74 Lime Lane to share some favourite quotes.

I have already shared my two favourites here and another one here, but I have many different ones that inspire me. I made up a sheet that is on my pinboard next to my desk and here are my top picks.

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle

(The origins of this quote are attributed to Plato and this wording in particular to JM Barrie)

And I love the wisdom of Maya Angelou ...

I've learnt that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow. I've learnt that you can tell a lot about a person by the way she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I know that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've discovered that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

I know that life sometimes gives you a second chance and you shouldn't go through life with catcher's mitts on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back. I've learnt that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I know that even when I ahve pains, I don't need to be one, and that every day you should reach out and touch someone - people love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learnt that I still have a lot to learn. I've also learnt that people will soon forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Not a quote per se, but wisdom to share!

One thing, the one thing, the one thing I know
The one thing I know to be true
I'll never, I'll never wherever I go
I'll never finish loving you 

*The One Thing I know - Kate Miller-Heidke

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)* - Blogtoberfest: jour de vingt a six

Today I am inspired by 2 of my favourite bloggers and their respective lists of good and bad stuff! Thanks for the idea!

Good Stuff

My friend who has been fighting for her life, is winning the fight!  

 

Finally feeling better today after 5 days of being average or below

Enjoying work again

Getting into photography and looking forward to Photo Meditations starting next week

Getting back to doing some exercise after a week of being sedentary

Melbourne cup next week

Seeing my friend from Sydney today

Lots of time for reading

Time to think about the future :)

Less Good Stuff 

Getting sick after two weeks of fighting it off! 

Missing work, meaning no income

Feeling like things are looking up only to find they are not

Not being able to influence something I really would like to be able to

Feeling like I have my illness well managed, only to turn around and find out that it is managing me!

Having to work hard every day to make my life better

Time to think about the future :)

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

*Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day

Don't Wish too Hard* - Blogtoberfest: de vingt a cinq jours

It's a day of wishful thinking.

Here are just a few material things ...

Since I first spotted these houses on the linear park near our house, I have always wanted to own one!

source - google images

This is the camera I am currently saving up to buy ...

Holiday next year to America including ...

source - google images

 Houston to visit friends...

source - google images

 One of my favourite places - Denver to visit friends

source - google images

Portland to visit friends and for some great food and it is very cool by all accounts!

and...

San Francisco because I love it!

(Also planning a trip to Europe in 2013 but that's a story for later)

I always wish for more of these!

source- google images

and I can never have too many of these. (These are also something I have a collection of!)

... But really my wishes go a lot deeper than material things. I also often wish for peace and happiness. (I carry 2 small stones in my pocket every day and I have named them peace and happiness) When I am dead, I would like people to remember that I made a difference in the world. I know that will not happen by wishing for material things, but I hope that by being kind to strangers and helping people in my neighbourhood that I make a difference to some people's lives on a local level. I believe this is a big part of making my world a better place and when that happens my happiness radiates to others. This is my real wish!

Don't wish too hard for what you want
Or then you might get it
And then when you get it
You might wish you never got it all

*Don't Wish Too Hard - Peter Allen

MacArthur Park* - Blogtoberfest: jour de vingt a quatre

Did some baking the other day for my birthday.
I decided to treat my work mates to some home cooking.

Last month's Delicious magazine had a mint choc cheesecake that I have been itching to try.

 

Got a double yoker in one of my organic eggs - love that!

 

Looking good

fresh mint to infuse the sugar syrup

Voila!

And the verdict? 

I think the fact that there was none left at the end of the day, speaks for itself. It was pretty tasty if I do say so myself

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down...
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

*MacArthur Park - Donna Summer

(odd lyrics I know!)

One Tin Soldier* - Blogtoberfest: jour vingt-trois

Sharing another collection.

 Today it's my tin collection. 

(Apologies for the terrible shadowy photos)

I realised after I had taken the photo that I left some out - oh well.

 

go ahead and hate your neighbor
go ahead and cheat a friend
do it in the name of heaven
you could justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing
come the judgment day
on the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

*One Tin Soldier - Joni Mitchell

Smile* - Blogtoberfest: jour vingt-deux

It's a rainy day in old Melbourne Town today!

It really seems like we are back to weather from old after 15 or so years, where it is often raining in Melbourne. Four seasons in one day they say, well today, only 1. Grey and rainy. However it is predicted to be warm again in a few days. 

I love Melbourne!

I even love Melbourne weather!

So I'm smiling ...

This sign is in our local linear park and I love it every time I go for a walk there. It reminds me to smile at fellow community members :)

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you 

*Smile - Nat King Cole

Oops!... I Did It Again*- Blogtoberfest: jour vingt-et-un

Once again I forgot to post on Friday evening! Oops! So again I say it's still the 21st somewhere in the world and this is my 21st Blogtoberfest post! (what a dedicated Blogtoberfestie I am!)

 source - google images

I'm considering putting a quarantine sign on the door as tinniegirl has been sick for 2 weeks and for the last 2 days I have been showing symptoms of the same thing. 

  source - google images

However, I am racing through the symptoms at the speed of light and hanging my hat on the shiatsu massage I had yesterday, to save me from weeks off work! I have recently discovered shiatsu and highly recommend it.

 source - google images

Let's just hope it saves me!! My friend is visiting tomorrow from Sydney and I'd love to be able to see her!

Oops!
... I did it again.
I played with your heart.
Got lost in the game.
Oh, baby; baby.
Oops!

*Oops!... I Did It Again - Britney Spears

Mother* - Blogtoberfest: vingt

Today is my mother's birthday. I love my mum, but we have had our ups and downs over the years - I guess like most mothers and daughters.

I always tell her that her best birthday ever was the year I was born and she has yet to disagree!

Happy Birthday Mum

Mother mother won't fall from grace
Light a room with the lines on your face
And if you were a river run dry

Well I'd sing you sweet bye and bye

*Mother - Kasey Chambers

The Morning After* - Blogtoberfest: dix-neuf jours

Post Birthday Post Mortem. 

I was spoilt with dinner out at Hellenic Republic. 

 check out the dessert!

Mmmm. Greek Coffee!!

I was also totally overwhelmed by messages from family and friends, lots of lovin' from my work peeps and some gorgeous gifts from my favourite person.

 This for my wall.

 This for my soul! Photo Meditations: Infusing Images with Your Soul with Susannah Conway. 

The perfect gift, arriving for me at a time when I have been seeking a meditation practice that fits in with my lifestyle, for stress and anxiety management as part of my CFS. I am so excited about thinking about photography differently because I recently identified it as something I wanted to learn more about. SO COOL!!! 

 This to use for my photography course

and this just because!

I also got these from my brother and sister in law

The other day I was musing about facebook and it's place in my life, well let me tell you on my birthday it was a place that made me feel really loved! 

I am feeling the love here and things are good!

There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on through the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light

*The Morning After - Maureen McGovern

It's my party*- Blogtoberfest: jour dix-huit

Monthly Milestone number 2 

It's my birthday. Enjoy some of my favourite birthday songs.

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you

*It's my party - Lesley Gore

Thank You for The Music* - Blogtoberfest: jour dix-sept

Here's a peek into part of my largest collection - musical instruments. 

I have been playing music since I got my first ukulele for Christmas when I was 3 yrs old. I come from a musical family, my dad plays piano, my mum is a singer, my older sister plays the violin, both my younger brothers play the piano, and one also plays the saxophone and they both muck around on the guitar. 

I began classical guitar lessons when I was 8 years old and love playing guitar. At high school, my siblings and I were all in the school band one year, I played the oboe, My sister, the violin, my brother the sax and my other brother, percussion. This was the year my sister left school and my youngest brother was in his first year of high school.

My whole life has been full of music. I remember waking up as a child to raucous parties going on in the house where the adults were all singing around the piano. 

Now I make a living as a music therapist, my days are filled with music of all different types. 

This provides a bit of background to the why of my musical instrument collection. Here is my percussion instrument collection. it is a part of a larger collection of musical instruments, and has a few collections within it as well!

It is made up of a few different collections ...

... tone blocks ...

... cymbals - large and small ...

... bells ...

... maracas ...

... indigenous instruments, mostly clapsticks ...

... and my favourite 'collection within a collection', shakers.

Hope you like them as much as I do.

This is not the end, there are always more collections ...

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me 

*Thank you For The Music - Abba