a little of this and a little of that - 100% random!

I have been waiting for a brilliant idea to come to me so I could make a post. Meantime, I realized that the hours where turning into days and the days would soon be weeks and before you know it I would be old and grey and still waiting. I decided that I would just start. Give you some of my randomness.

So, in no particular order (Mmmm ) - that was my first bit of random - smile.

Actually, the grey has already arrived - Mmmm! I had better get a move on.

New Years eve (sorry - no photos). It went something like this........

My girls were going to have a night home with a few friends and they graciously invited me to hang around, if I so desired (which could easily be interpreted in a million different ways - right?). Thing is, I am not (nor have been for awhile) that much into the actual N.Y.E clock watching ritual. Let me explain - one year my (then) husband, who usually went to bed at 9.30pm on the dot, decided to stay up and see the N.Y in. Unfortunately, he got very tired and went to bed at about 11.30pm. Of course I followed and resigned myself to the fact that N.Y.E was way over rated. At about 11.55pm hubby switches off the light and took on his 'sleeping position'. I was a little amused (at the time) and thought perhaps he was going to spring up at the stroke of midnight and surprise me. He didn't . He actually just pretended to be asleep and I lay awake for hours re-assessing the whole N.Y.E hype. So the result of that event now means it seems prudent that I keep my options open. So, back to 2008! My friend, who lives up in the hills, suggested I come up to her place and see in the new year with her. I said, ' maybe!'. She texts me again at about 8.30pm and says, "come on up! Don't let this be another non-event N.Y.E!" (you should know, this is my skinny dipping partner we're talking of here!). So, I allowed myself to be persuaded and off I went (an hour drive). When I arrived her hubby (who has dementia and post stroke) was cuddled up on the lounge. Friend sits and starts grooming her dogs. I settled into my non - event N.Y.E prevention mode. Friend puts on a DVD - which was absolutely awful. I was screaming on the inside to switch it off - no deal. Her husband was now nodding off and the dogs were almost groomed to 'show' standard. Meantime their big, fat (ugly) cat had taken a shine to me and had parked itself on my lap. N.B. I am not a real cat lover - especially the fat, ugly, malting kind. Movie finishes and it is now 11.30pm. I am wondering what comes next? I go to the loo (toilet) at about 11.40pm and when I return husband is snoring and friend has disappeared. After searching high and low I find friend outside crushing snails- which are eating her plants. I can work with this!!! We star gaze for a couple of minutes - until the clouds rolling at about 1000km's per hour cover the sky and not a star can be seen. Friend goes inside and then pops her head out to let me know that she is putting hubby to bed. It is now 11.55pm mind you! I have a little laugh (I can see a pattern in this.) I grab an outside chair and plonk myself under her apple tree and have my own little countdown. Midnight comes and midnight goes. At about 12.03 am friend rushes out doing a little countdown thing - 5,4,3,2,1. Ok, I'll play along. She hands me a party popper and joyfully pops hers. Mine? Well, the string comes away - no pop! H.N.Y!!!! We went and watched another DVD. Went to bed at about 2.30 ish. I remained wide awake. Have you ever had a bout of insomnia when you are in someone else's home - and you don't know how to operate their telly? Must have been all the excitement.

I really do not want to sound like I am whining about my N.Y.E. Far from it. Oh, for sure, I considered feeling peeved, or disappointed, or somewhat confused over the 'Let's not make this a non - event N.Y.E' theory - but actually, I ended up choosing to see it for exactly what it was. An evening spent with a friend I love and value, a cat I am learning to embrace and a pop less popper. Perfect real life memory making stuff, right?.

Which brings me to my next random.

I think my word for 2009 is going to be 'choice'. I think I am going to find myself looking fair and square in the eyes of the 'you have a choice', philosophy. I can choose to be sad, to be mad, to be angry, to be depressed, to be disloyal, to be stubborn, to be loved, to be valued, to be informed, to be free, to be accepting of my faults and those of others. I can choose my responses, if nothing else!

The day after New years day was a bit of a downer. I was feeling a bit flat and a bit sorry for myself. I had a touch of the blues. Clearly my new word had not fully sunk into this thick skull of mine. Anyhow, there I was having a bad norning. (This next bit is so random - so beautifully random). The phone rings. Oh me, Oh my... It is a blogger friend - she is on the phone - talking - SURREAL!!!!! I am fairly sure that I portrayed myself as some blubbering idiot. I was kind of in shock (that's my defense). My friend sounded so....royal like.. beautiful.... soft (it should be said that she has shouted at me on line a few times (in love of course..) But after hearing her voice, I just can't imagine her shouting - EVER!!!. I don't mean to harp on and on about this (although it is a lot shorter randomness than my last random) - but I was like this little kid - I actually had a litle dance around the kitchen. What a lovely thing to do - to ring me. Very surreal. After we had hung up I asked my girls if I had sounded a little weird? Affirmative! No kidding, it was such a blessing.

What else?

Today my friend (Le skinny dipper) and my friend (Le home schooler) came over with their kids and grand kids (along with skinny dippers husband and son in law) and we had a bit of a craftmaking / art /computer games/movie/lunch/social play / date. We had arranged to start at 10.30 am. Which would have really worked out fine if I had not woken at 9.30? I never sleep in. Never - ever. I raced around like a mad man (which gets pretty close to the bone). I didn't get around to vacuuming the carpet in the lounge - can you believe it? That my friends is not how I usually prepare for guests ( have I mentioned that I am a bit of a 'let's clean the house before the cleaner arrives' kind of girl?) I am MUCH better than I used to be!!!!! Still, they arrived and we did what we did and I think everyone got something positive out of it. I know I did. Thanks guys!

Because of the yummy lunch my girls thought we all needed a little exercise. It was time to walk around the lake. All I have to do is walk out my front door and you can see the lake (it's just to the right of that white building).


About 20 steps . Well done, Mary! At this pace you will be fitter, stronger, leaner in no time at all!

The girls had on their roller blades - so obviously they could go a lot faster than me. "You go on ahead girls - I'll take the photo's. No, really, I will be fine, you go on ahead. Have fun!"


Now, I know it might look like I have stayed in the same place. I did walk around the whole lake - honest. The girls are just showing off cause they skated around four times. They are young.... and have healthy knees!!!!!!

Show offs.

I think that is about all the random for now.

Can you believe it is 2009?

Bring it on!
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I had this funny feeling that there would be lots and lots af spelling and grammar mistakes in this post. Came back to check. I am so sorry Linds and Theressa and Alison. That must have been hard yakka making heads or tails of what I was saying. I have fixed it up a little. Left a few errors in there - like to be authentic an all ;)