It’s off to work we go! It’s been full on at work for the past couple of weeks, and will be the same, I think, for the next couple. Bring on Good Friday, I say! School holidays. Sleeping in. Catching up with family. Much needed scrapping time with friends. And just chilling … how wonderful!!

I actually had a total chill-out day yesterday … we had people over for dinner on Saturday night, so flogged our guts out getting the house looking presentable. It was a really nice night. But the best part for me was waking up on Sunday morning and knowing that there was NO housework to do. Nothing at all. Zip. Nada. Zilch. So, our plans to go to the river for lunch went out the window. We stayed home. Me in my pj’s all day (you reeeeallly needed to know that, didn’t you?) The kids played. We did not much of anything. I read a book. Dennis watched sports on TV. And it was BLISS…. totally wonderful, and just what we all needed after the past few months.

I even did a bit of scrapping on Sunday night, which was nice!

So some of what has happened over the past couple of weeks … the funeral was last friday. The day started with a major drama … Tayla had a scarf that Nan had knitted her, and Kelsey wanted hers as well. Only problem was, Daddy couldn’t find it. Frantic phonecalls to mummy at work ensued. I came rushing home and searched high and low … yes, we found it, thank goodness. My wonderful awesome beautiful cousins from Perth arrived, and there were hugs and tears all round. My brothers arrived from QLD … more hugs. We headed to the funeral, and met more family, who we only seem to catch up with at funerals … we need to do something about that, I think! A lot of people didn’t recognise me to start with, I don’t think – they aren’t used to seeing me without long hair! After Lorraine and I did our eulogy, though, there were more smiles of recognition … well, smiles through the tears, at least. I was really proud of what we put together to remember Nan’s life, I think it was pretty moving (if I do say so myself!!)

The priest who did the service was so cute – old, irish, a bit dottery, and slightly eccentric I think. Said Nan’s name wrong. Was convinced that she was Irish too, to the consternation of my aunty. I had to laugh … is that wrong? Ah well, I know Nan would have liked the Hail Mary he said in Gaelic, whether she was Irish or not!!

After the funeral, we joined the throng heading back to mum’s place. You haven’t seen a wake done like my family do. Or really, any gathering where people need to be fed. It’s really amazing – like a military operation, only with icing sugar and cream. Unbelievable!! Fairy cakes. Date loaf – a total throwback to family get-togethers in my childhood. Scones. Jam slices. Pikelets … not store-brought ones. Not packet shake and bake mix ones. Pikelets full of air, and an aunty’s love. Heaven!! Mushroom cakes, which were secreted in the kitchen, and doled out to special people with the air of a clandestine drug deal. They certainly had everyone on a high! They were the highlights … I’m so bummed that I didn’t think to get a photo of the food table.

I was too busy catching up with the McDiarmid/Ryan Clan. Love these people so much, I can’t even tell you. It was a wonderful amazing awesome afternoon, and I know that Nan and Pa had staked out a good possy up there, watching, laughing along with us all, shaking their heads in embarrassment when we told some of the stories about her she wanted to keep secret (we kept them out of the eulogy Nan, but how could I resist the bribery of a mushroom cake for a secret story?????)

Saturday, after spending some time with the WA clan, my sister and I had to play softball. It was our grandfinal. And, can I just say, with all due modesty and decorum, we so totally rocked. Extreme in our awesomeness, we were. In our division, there were three other teams. Two of them we beat comprehensively every time we played. The other team, though, which is from the same club as us, always gave us a run for our money. They had only beaten us once before the final series (and that was a game I didn’t play … does that tell you something??? ROFL). The first semi-final we played them to go straight into the grand final, and they beat us. Only just, and one of our team members ended up in hospital with a broken wrist. So, we had to play the next week to get another chance to get into the GF, and play them again. Which we did. And, as I think I mentioned before, we TOTALLY rocked. 15-0. Us 15, them 0, in case you are under any illusions as to how totally fantastic my team is. It was the best fun … and even more wonderful because I know just how proud Nan would have been of us (now that she’s finally gotten over her horror that I started playing team sports at the age of 32 … “aren’t you too old for that now Tamara?”) My sis and I had the biggest cheer squad there – three car loads of rowdy relatives. So glad we won, they never would have let us forget it if we didn’t!!

Oh, and for the record … as vain as I am often accused of being, I could probably be forced to admit that I am perhaps NOT the secret to our teams’ success. In fact, Belinda and I are first to admit that we are probably just the window dressing on our awesomely talented team, all of whom can hit, throw, and catch like I only dream of. I’m soooo amazed that by the end of the season, I was swinging and hitting almost as often as I was missing … woo hoo!!

My girls stayed at my sister’s place that night, and headed out to the club to celebrate for us, while I headed to Castlereagh Academy. It was time for Scrapgirls Cropfest, which has started on Thursday night … so I had a lot to catch up on! It was really just wonderful to see the beautiful Tracy, Kylie, Nic, Sharon, Cath, Ali, Lorraine, Sue, Rae, Anne … have I forgotten anyone? OMG … yes! Belinda! Fellow rocking softballer, and all-round awesome scrapper. She also is a fairly mean cook, and fed us so well over the weekend. Luv ya B!! I created a few layouts, but it was just wonderful really to have a bit of time just for me. No family commitments. No work to think about. (well, yes there was, but I was in denial). Just me. Loved that … need to do it more often.

Wow, that’s a seriously long post, huh? So, here’s a few scrapping things to check out.

This one is the beautiful little Bella-Rai. What a cutie, huh? And the mini-album is made from totally from Bella products, as part of a DT challenge for Scrap Therapy.

I have another layout to share soon, which is really special to me – the photo I shared last post of Nan and Pa sharing a smooch, using some of the most beautiful Melissa Frances papers. I have so many of these papers now, after winning a RAK recently with a heap more of them, so I’m going to do a RAK myself next post with some of these … keep an eye out for that!

K, off to eat some Bega cheese chips. Yummo! Take care, and hugs to you and yours.

Yesterday morning, just before 10am, a beautiful soul rejoined her beloved husband in heaven. My Nan, Esme McDiarmid, has been fighting for months, after being diagnosed with cancer that was pretty much everywhere through her body. She had radiation and a dose of chemotherapy. She was taking so many pills we thought she should rattle. As time went on she wasn’t able to walk by herself, and in the last few days wasn’t even able to get up out of bed. For most of those months she has been staying at my mum’s place, just down the road from us, and was helped by her two daughters (my mum and aunty), and her youngest sister. Last week, knowing that the end was coming, she made the decision to go to palliative care.

Over the past few months she has been surrounded by people she loves – family from all over the country, literally, have travelled to spend valued time with her, and it’s been lovely for us to be able to see her every day, and make the most of those few precious moments. On Monday afternoon, her pain became too much, and they doubled her morphine. My sister and I sat with her all monday night, but she wasn’t really conscious … sleeping, in obvious pain, and moaning quietly. It was so painful an experience for everyone there to see her like that, and it was heart-breaking to leave that night, knowing that it would probably be the last time we saw her.

As it turned out, it was. I got the call at work, and some awesome people stepped in to cover my classes so I could be with my family. I got to see her, lying there in her bed, the pain lines gone, and looking really peaceful, and as hard as that was, it was also kind of a relief, if that makes sense.

Telling the kids was the hardest, as we knew it would be. They were as prepared as they could be. They knew she wasn’t well. They knew she wasn’t going to get better. But the reality of a world without Nan hit them hard. Tayla, though, the little legend, was also a bit happy. “Now Pa isn’t alone, him and Nan are together again.” And that really sums it up for all of us, I think.

The funeral is on Friday, so I’m sitting here contemplating how to talk about this beautiful woman in a way that will do her justice. Love you Nan. Give Pa a kiss for us!

Really? It’s necessary as a teacher to go through a massive about of bullshit for no particular reason at all?? I’m not talking about parents. I’m not talking about obnoxious students (and trust me, I have a few!!) I’m talking about staff members. I’m going to be very non-specific here (I don’t know WHO stalks my blog from work! lol) but I’m so over people who think they are all that with no reason … who talk themselves up … who use big words to make themselves sound impressive … who feel the need to attempt to put other people down to make themselves appear more superior. I’m SOOOO over it, and there are some days that I wonder what I’m doing with my life. Sigh. Today was a mix of one of those days, and one of the good ones – the ones where I walk out of a classroom just feeling alive, like I’ve made a difference, and that someone is a bit closer to being successful in their schooling career because of something I said or did. And THANK GOD that moment came not once, but twice today … that’s the only reason I’m going back tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that … well, no actually, because it’s saturday, but you get my point.

Hmmm … what’s going on apart from that? Lots of stuff to make me sad. Yes, I’ve spent a massive amount of time in the past 4 or 5 days just bawling. Bushfires. Loss. Tragedy. It’s just inhumane that people are dying, not just because of a natural phenomenon, but due to the work of some sick disturbed arsonists. It’s something I’ll never understand … and thank god for that.
For every beautiful image that comes along, like the wondrous picture of the CFA worker giving that koala a drink, there are so many more to break your heart. Houses. Land. Belongings. People. Too sad for words … and it’s not often that I’m lost for words really, so that’s something huh. One of my classes today actually brought it up – we were talking about character traits, and they all had to pick 10 out of a list that described them. Compassionate was on the list, and one of the kids said that was me – and then asked how I was feeling about the bushfires. I said that, in all honesty, I just couldn’t talk about it, and they all sat there stunned – totally stunned. “That’s a first, Miss!” came the comment from the back of the room. Yeah, that lesson was one of my highlights … love that group.

Other stuff to make me sad … Nan isn’t doing so well. Yet again, too heartbreaking for words. She has deteriorated a lot in the past couple of weeks, and whilst we are all hoping that she is here for Bella’s first birthday, we aren’t really holding our breaths. I’m just not ready … are you ever? Crapola. Totally.

I was reading Lusi’s blog today … she has this “Get Real” thing going on, and I was planning on starting it – I was going to tell you about how I didn’t make the beds this morning (in fact, I haven’t in AAAAGES!!) and how my laundry basket is full to overflowing. I was going to tell you about a whole lot of average, ordinary, real-life stuff … but I guess what I’ve already posted is just about as much reality as I can cope with today. Love the focus on the real Lusi – I think I’ve been doing that for a while actually! No-one could ever accuse me of being superwoman (except in jest! Lol) So I am going to leave the reality of destruction and despair as my “getting real” for today. And I thought I might share some of the other realities in my life that keep me grounded! Some layouts of my favouritest people. God I love my kids!!

These are all layouts using some of my yummy new Basic Grey, and my beautiful new printer … oh how I love thee, Canon Pixma 630!! Just awesome.

Basic Grey is the MAN of the Month at Scrap Therapy this month – check it out, there is a lot of great stuff on sale, and some new ranges due in any day now!

K, I’m off to get ready for work tomorrow, and get the kids school clothes ready – they are having a mufti day to raise money for the bush fire appeal, and they are very excited about it – they have been gatherin every cent they can to take in!!! Hug your kids, and tell the special people in your lives how special they are!

For all of you who were wondering how the hair is growing back – check it out! I have hair again. It’s seriously so much cooler – I don’t know how I coped in summer with that much hair before! I’m loving it (even if I do look like a toilet brush … don’t you just love my DH!! LOL)

So, back at school. The girls are just loving their teachers and their classes. I’m loving my classes, but not so much my classroom – I had to move at the end of last year, and my new room isn’t airconditioned. Most of our school isn’t actually, so I guess I was lucky that I had aircon in my old room. I’m more missing my mural than the aircon though – 2 years ago my classes, who new how happy I was to finally have my own classroom, painted the back room of the wall for me, and I miss looking at it every morning. It made me happy. A big bright rainbow. Some very funky butterflies. Sunshine on one side of the rainbow, and storm clouds on the other. And beautiful fish and sea creatures swimming along the bottom of the wall. Sigh … I miss my wall!

Not much more to report on at the moment – it’s hot here, I’m sweltering, and sooo not looking forward to playing softball tomorrow!! It’s wrong, it’s just wrong. Thank goodness for air conditioning! Oh yeah – do you feel like scrapping tonight? Cybercropping at Scrap Therapy – it’s OSCAR’S month!! Come along and check out the challenges and chat – bingo is on tonight! I’ll be back to share some scrapping soon – I’ve been doing heaps, but I can’t share them, as most of them are DT layouts. Take care!!

Yes, I know I’m late … I’ve been on holidays!! Our annual NY trip to Colo. Bliss, total bliss. We slept in, ate too much food, had afternoon naps, spent time in the pool, went canoeing, did a bit more swimming, read, read some more … the kids rode their bikes, got totally filthy, and had a fantastic time. I could fill pages with how much I love Colo! Plus, it gave me the perfect opportunity to play with the new lens I got for my birthday. I got some fantastic pictures, and I’ve already scrapped a few of them! I got lots of scrapping done while I was away – it was nice to scrap for the fun of it, not because I felt like I had to fit the layout to specific challenge criteria, etc etc. I had fun! So, what did I do when I got home? Did a challenge layout! lol of course. I can’t help myself.

I did this one for Scrapping The Music – the song this week was Hands by Jewel. It has made me dig out my Jewel cd – I forgot how much I loved her music! This was my annual “NY reflections” layout … very deep and meaningful. Look at that bald head! It’s grown back a bit since then – I’m looking very fuzzball-ish right now.

I’m doing a “52 pickup” layout challenge this year – a layout a week, with specific criteria. The first one was to use some metal on your layout – and lets face it, most scrappers have heaps in their stash! I used an old metal frame on mine, cut in half for the photo corners. I’m going to do my 52 layouts using photos that I’ve taken in that week, so it’ll be a record of my year. Some people at Scrap Therapy are doing a photo a day, but I just don’t have time for that, so one a week is as much as I can commit to. This one is a picture of Kelsey at Colo, using my new lens.

K, that’s it for now. Take care of you!!

What are yours? Mine are simple this year – and things just aren’t going to cut it. My Nan is ill – she’s been diagnosed with cancer, pretty much everywhere. She has it in about 5 different organs, as well as throughout her bones, and swelling at a fracture on her spine threatening to press on nerves. They are starting treatment on the spot on her spine to try and stop the possibility or paraplegia, and are talking about chemo as a palliative care move. After losing Pa earlier in the year, she is ready to be with him again, and is coping pretty well with the dr’s assessment that she has months, not years.

So our christmas wish – that her new meds help her cope with the enormous amount of pain she’s in over the christmas period, so she can enjoy the time we’ll have with her family … all our family from pretty much all over the country are flying in for christmas, which is going to be awesome. That when she goes, it’s with dignity. She’s a lady, my Nan, and the thought of her hanging on and losing her dignity, needing people to wash her, and feed her, and having machines keep her alive, is really far more painful a thought than that of losing her. So we’re praying for a wonderful, blessed, and peaceful end to an awesome life.

So, after that depressing start to a christmas post … who’s ready for santa? Not this little black duck! I’ve battled the Plaza three days in the past week (anyone who’s been to Penrith around Christmas knows EXACTLY what I’m talking about!!) and I’ve had amazing luck – driven pretty much straight into a parking spot! That, dear readers, is where the luck ended though. I’ve wandered around aimlessly, not able to find anything that really takes my fancy. I had a run-in with one manager from a store which will remain nameless, but then was saved by another – God Bless Glenn, who saved my bacon with my DS-loving 6 year old who is desperate for a blue one off Santa! I’ve got to say though, she’s missing out from Santa … I decided this year I don’t want some random fat guy in a red suit getting the credit for the kick-arse presents I’ve been slaving over, so the really good ones are coming from me and Dennis!! So that’s been my dilemma, actually … coming up with a present that looks substantial enough to be a Santa gift, but isn’t going to break the bank – we didn’t want to spend too much this year, and I’m trying my hardest to stick to that! We eventually found some great gifts, but there are still little bits and pieces to be sourced. My kingdom for a decent junk shop!! And I’m battling that age-old issue … what to get our next door neighbours who I KNOW have been baking yet again, to give us a special hand-made christmas gift. Is a large box of Cadbury’s Favourites a suitable enough gift in return for hours slaving over a hot stove? Probably not, but that’s as good as it’s going to get!! lol

I whipped this up last night. How cool are these colours! I stumbled across these papers in a LSS, that used to be a fabric store. It has the best collection of scrapping and habby stuff, omg … I was in heaven! And a gorgeous wooden book shaped box. I’ve been dropping hints, but I think I’m going to have to go and buy it myself for christmas! This is Pink Paislee Vintage moon paper – the owl and branch are cut from another sheet from the range. It’s officially my first non-square layout! Those of you who know me know how stressed I would be getting at the thought of how this is going to look in my album …. but I’ve solved that dilemma, it just needs to go back to back with a layout done on Kraft cardstock, and has no brads or stitching, etc, peeking through the back around the edges! lol Yes, I’m anal. I keep looking at this layout and thinking it needs something else, but it took less than 15 minutes, and I love the colours in the pp – every time I add something else I keep taking it off again! So it’s going to stay like this. How hot are we? ROFL.

This one uses some beautiful Basic Grey papers and alphas, and Melissa Frances and Fancy Pants trims. I love how the colours of the paper match the colours in the water!

This one is from a little while ago, but it caught my eye again while I was adding pics, so I thought I’d share it too … how big is my Kelsey girl getting? Sigh … it makes me proud and sad all at the same time.

K, off to tell Kieran, aged 14 and waaaay too cool for his own good, that he’s coming to get a Santa photo taken today. Wish me luck! PMSL.

You know those days that are just awesome? When you feel like you’ve done something good, you enjoy your day, and you go to sleep content? That was yesterday. I took my senior English class to some workshops yesterday, one of them run by an old lecturer of mine from uni, and they were awesome. I learnt a lot. They learnt a lot. We had a good time, and had some really interesting thought-provoking conversations. I found a totally divine second-hand book store, and brought a couple of books, one of which I’m about half way through and LOVING. I could have done some serious damage to some of those shelves with someone else’s credit card!

The big deal, though, was the workshops. They inspired me to stop just dreaming about doing some post-grad literature study, but to actually start doing it. I’ve decided that a PhD is probably a bit out of my ball park at the moment, so I’m researching Masters Degrees …. anyone know any good distance ed English Lit Masters courses around? I spend an hour or so searching around last night, but I’m so out of touch with academia – I don’t know if I’m looking in the wrong spots, or what I’m after just simply doesn’t exist!

So, after some research research last night, I did some scrapping. And I got HEAPS done!! Pretty happy with them all too, so that’s a good thing. Do you wanna see? Well too bad if you don’t … go and check out someone else’s blog then! lol

I finally finished a layout for Scrapping the Music in time to enter it … amazing really! I love the song that was the prompt for this week.

This was my totally sexy hair cut, just before my current sexy hair cut! lol I seriously hardly EVER go to the hairdressers, and I’d just gotten this ‘do done about 4 weeks before I shaved my head … what a waste, huh?

Two layouts of the girls at physi this year – I didn’t deliberately do them using the same things, it was a bit of a mistake, but they look really good sitting next to each other in my album.

These two are some yummy American Crafts products – still on sale at Scrap Therapy until the end of the month. The Christmas one is over in the forum as a step-by-step, if you want to have a go at it!

Well, I think my bath is ready – hot water, bubbles, a glass of red, candles, and a new old book. What could be better? Night all!!