Hello 2015

So 2014 is about to come to an end and I have no idea where it went. Crazy fast. I had a baby in 2013 and then BOOM it’s 2015.

The first eight months of 2014 were wonderful, watching my bubba boy grow and develop into a really cheeky little smarty pants who amazes me every day.
But alas September was a bittersweet month; we bought our own home only two houses up from my parents :-), but we lost our beloved fifteen year old wolfhound cross Buster :-(.

2014 was full on; I went back at work four days a week and was going to TAFE at night two times a week. I managed to publish two poetry eBooks and one tree book, but we won’t talk about how behind I am in my TAFE work. Riley has been attending day care when I’m at work and other then a little tantrum at drop off time, seems to be enjoying it.

We are down to four; Shane and I, Riley now seventeen months old and Ellie our four year old rather small wolfhound cross. We’ve all settled into our new forever home and are looking forward to celebrating Riley’s second Christmas and all that 2015 has to offer. I really hate the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but love catching up with my family.

I am determined in 2015 to (A) not miss a Friday Fictioneers (B) Finish my Cert 4 in Work Health & Safety (C) make some serious progress on my fiction works (D) as always, lose weight and get fit – this one I’m not as determined about as the others, obviously because I find it the hardest, damn Crispy M&M you will be the death of me (E) I’m going to up my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2015 to 80 books! that will be a record for me if I achieve it and (F) I’m going to sign up for the >>Debut Author Challenge ButtonI’ve read some debut authors this year and really enjoyed them. I see this challenge as a great way to find out about the other Debuts that other challenges may come across. It is easy to pick up the same author or one of the well publicized top ten best seller at your local supermarket to read, but in 2015 I’d like to focus on helping the new guys starting out. **AND** (G) I’m also signing up for the >>

 For my first Diverse Books I’m going to start off with the three that “Reading Wishes” recommends – The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell – Jasper Jones by Criag Silvey – To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han.

**AND** (F) I’m also also signing up for the >>

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Where I’m going to try and read as many books by Aussie Authors as possible.

Anyway I’m going to go get some reading in 🙂 Until Next Time – Happy Reading.

I call mine Lancy

Do you have a name for your car? I call mine Lancy. Lancy is the perfect mummies car, she has a nice compact exterior for easy parking, but she’s roomy inside with a lovely large wagon back end, plenty of room for baby, pram, food shopping etc. I’ve owned Lancy, a Mitsubishi Lancer Wagon for over a year now and it was only the other day when I was driving into Newcastle that I decided she needed her own name. I was willing her to overtake a truck up a hill – my inner monologue was something along the lines of: “Come on get up the hill, come on Betsy you can do it, hmm I can’t call her Betsy, umm Lancer, Lance, no not lance it’s a she, Lancy? Yeah that’ll do, Come on Lancy you can do it”. She totally over took the truck, redlining it. All my Cars have had names, hence why I thought Lancy deserved her own.Lancy Love

My first car was a little Ford Laser hatchback which my father gave me when I got my licence. My friends and I named Her Noah because she was filled with all sorts of stuffed animals, in my head Noah was female just super cool with a male name. Noah used to spend her time: going on late night drives to Gosford, playing music too loud, speeding around corners too fast, rubbing her belly on dirt roads and fire trails and playing chicken with guard rails up at Mt Sugarloaf. Noah only had a little engine, but before I got her she was in good nick, she had a light little body and was quite nimble. I think about Noah often and hope she’s loved wherever she is now.

I sold Noah to buy a Suzuki Vitara 4WD wagon, something a bit more capable on the dirt roads of the Watagan Mountains that I’d come to love driving. I don’t quite remember naming the Suzuki, but she became Betsy in the end. “Come on Betsy, you can do it, you can do it” Betsy’s little clapped out 1.6 engine didn’t like to move much. Once she got wound up a roundabout or corner would always come along and I’d been screaming “f*#k hold on Betsy, please Betsy” as the rear tyres squealed and bounced sideways. Betsy spent her time: on the beach, playing music too loud, bouncing around the Riffle Range, running over gutters and freaking out people in car parks (she used to pull up and smoke would rise from under her bonnet as she had messy leaks that required extra oil and water to be carried at all times). I sold Betsy when she became unused as I was walking to work and had my husband’s Patrol to drive. Betsy went to a young fella who loved her, but crashed her, she’s a cube now.

Bombodore, the Holden VT Commodore sedan. F*#k me I loved this car. I used to drive it around whenever my parents would go away – because driving a Commodore was way cooler than driving my laser, especially to go lapping in town. My mother owned her for ten years, and then I owned her for another four. She was Me. She was Family. She was Heavy, Noisy, Oily, Big, Boisterous and Beautiful. I have fond memories of riding in her as a child, found memories of freaking out my dad when he took for a driving lesson in her and found memories of the first time I drove her around in a circle in the dirt. The Bombodore spent her time: chewing up tyres and fuel, going around in circles in the dirt, playing music too loud and driving around aimlessly smelling like tobacco. She’s a cube now, I ran her into the ground and she enjoyed every minute of it, as did I. I will always love her.

There was also a point in time where I road my dad’s Honda 110 Postie Bike around, I crashed it twice and then went and bought a Honda 125 Scooter, I then fell pregnant and sold the scooter.

Anyway back to Lancy. Lancy spends her time: taking my son to swimming lessons and doing the food shopping. Umm yeah, Lancy hasn’t met a dirt road and she hasn’t had a sub-woofer and aftermarket speakers fitted – Yet – I’ve promised her there will be a time when she gets to enjoy playing music too loud and driving around aimlessly, once my sons older.

I feel that each car I’ve owned has matched the point I was at in my life. Maybe it’s that our cars are an extension of ourselves – Would you agree?

Lostocking Riley

Riley Walk Retouched

Last weekend Riley went on his first adventure to Lostock.

His second ever camping trip.

Our second ever camping trip since he was born.

Our second time ever forgetting to take pillows.

I was extremely excited to take Riley to Lostock being that most of my fondest childhood memories involve the Lostock Dam Caravan Park and land that surrounds it. I always wanted to live at Lostock and still to this day dream about it. I’ve even published a poem about the place, In this place featured in The World Around Me eBook and In My Shoes & Under My Skin Tree Book both Published in 2014.

Lostock Dam is a fairly small dam on the Paterson River (approximately 93 kilometres north-west of Newcastle NSW Australia) The name of the dam originates from the village of Lostock, located approximately 2 kilometres downstream from the dam wall and then there is the Caravan park on higher ground at the face of the dam spillway, named Lostock Dam Caravan Park.

On Friday night the weather channel said that the forecast for Lostock over the weekend was rain, so we Umm’d and Ahh’d about tenting it in the Cruiser or staying in my grandparents on sight caravan. In the end we went with camping out of the Cruiser down with the Hector boys and their utes.

The weather stayed mostly clear until we finished setting up. On setting up camp we discovered that in our haste to leave and with all the Umming and Ahhing we had forgotten pillows and pots and pans (things we wouldn’t have needed if staying in the van).

In true Lostock style it was fine and then the clouds rolled in. Within a few minutes the heavens opened up a torrent on us, then about half an hour later it was all sunshine again. Riley toughed it out in his rain coat and gum boots, he wasn’t too keen on the coat but was very happy when the rain cleared and he found the puddles left behind. He had a grand old time wandering up and down stomping in all the puddles and loved having the freedom to roam around.

Riley Wet

A wet Riley in his Rain Coat & Gum Boots

Riley Touch

Riley meeting a puddle

Riley Splash Original

Riley stomping one way down the puddle

Riley Strut Original

then stomping the other way back

The simple things 🙂 :-).

Riley Relax

Riley chilled out and relaxing with his bottle

Cover Forest DK

The poem about lostock “In this place” features in this eBook

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Also the poem about lostock “In this place” features in this Tree Book

Riley and Me

Motherhood: The hardest yet most rewarding job ever!

Twelve months on and this little man keeps making me happier than I’ve ever been and more in love with him (even when he is chucking a tantrum like he is now while i’m trying to write this).

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Siblings

To give Riley a sibling or not to give Riley a sibling – that is the question!

My husband Shane and I had decided that we would have one more. I’ve even been telling people when they ask “when’s the next one coming” that we be trying again next year after our Cape Trip in July/August. Riley would be just over two years old by that point, so he’d be somewhere over three by the time the second child came along.

I am an only child and I always dreamt of having a brother, but like a best mate brother. Initially after having Riley I was so traumatised, I was firm that I was NEVER HAVING ANYMORE. Once I managed to get over thinking that my body had failed me (36 hours of labour, 2 hours of pushing & then had to have an emergency C-section to get the stuck bugger out). It took me a good six months to get over it and realise, umm no your body didn’t fail you, look at that beautiful happy healthy baby boy, yeah your body made that, your body is an awesome miracle maker. From the moment I met Riley I knew he was worth it, but it took me that extra six months to realise I am strong enough to do it again. Women, we are so wonderfully awesome.

My dad comes from a large family and always wanted more than one kid, he’s often joked that he wants 6 -8 grandchildren, yeah not happening buddy. My mum thinks one is a good number, speaking from the experience of only having to cart me around traveling, camping etc.

We took Riley on his first camping trip over Easter and it all went wonderfully, but we’d majorly have to rethink our sleeping arguments and probably have to tow a trailer for all the a extra gear we’d need for two – but that’s minor stuff and I can figure that out when the time comes.

What’s really got me in a funk and has always worried me is Shane’s younger and only sibling Michael. The hell the two of them put their mother through infuriates me! I’m constantly saying to Shane “remember all that shit we went through during labour, feeding in the middle of the night, red bums and constant screaming, Yeah your mum did all that shit you”. When I was set firm on not having a second I made the joke “I got the Shane in Riley, the older brother, even though he can be winey and sooky, he’s mostly a calm happy baby and I don’t want the Michael, the second son, bonces of the walls, short temper, happy only when things go his way. Michael’s son is exactly like him, scares me. Hell I’m very much like him, I bounce of walls, I have a short temper, BUT I have more respect for others and I’d like to think I don’t always have to have things my way, but I’m sure others would say different.

So my husband and his brother don’t have a good relationship and that scares me. I don’t want to give Riley a little brother that’s going to drive him crazy all the time, I want to give him a best friend for life. I look at my cousins, the care and concern one of them has for his older brother. I was recently at one of my cousin’s weddings and the love between him and his little sister just melted me, made me go YES I must give Riley this. Then all this shit with Shane’s family flares up again. SO HELP ME what the fuck am I meant to do. I’m an only child I don’t get it!!! What makes you mates and what makes you enemies. Shane and Michael had separate rooms growing up, but shared a lot of similar interests, sailing, archery etc. My father shared a room with two of his brothers and they survived. My mum shared a room with her sister and I’ve never really heard stories of them fighting. Does the joint room thing make any difference? Riley and the new baby would have their own room. I like my own space so feel I should give them theirs.

I look at the bad times and go, hell no I don’t want this doubled, then I look at the good times and go, YES I want this doubled. But really what it boils down to is I want to give Riley the best life possible. I thought he needed siblings for that, that if I don’t give him a brother or sister he’ll be alone. But the bullshit between Shane and his brother makes me think otherwise 😦 Oh the dramas of a developed nation – Any who tell me your thoughts?

Who out there was an only child went and had siblings, would you suggest it?

Who out there had siblings that decided NO only to have one?

How did your siblings shape you?

How many Children have you got or are hoping to have and why?

Riley’s First Camping Trip

Capture.22PNGMy Husband Shane and I spent this Easter taking our Son Riley, who is now almost 10 months old, for his first ever camping trip.

It was also the first camping trip for our 80. When Riley was born we sold our beloved Nissan Patrol single cab Ute, which we had perfectly set up for our style of camping and 4wding and we purchased a Toyota 80 series Landcruiser, which we are in the process of setting up family style.

On Thursday we got up, got ourselves and Riley ready, loaded up the 80 and headed up to Narrabri. We made fairly good time and Riley was an Angel on the 400klm – 6 hour journey. We managed to get our brand new Roof Top Tent set up without much drama considering it was our first attempt at doing so. Once we had everything set up we realised we had forgotten to bring sugar and our pillows, dang it!

On Friday I sat around read and relaxed, Shane went fishing and Riley made some new friends – This is pretty much what we did the whole time.10170931_1425931957662166_3131954294624548325_n

On Saturday night the boys had their Camp oven cook off – An event that happens between my dad and our mates Don and Matthew each camping trip. They cooked off, with my dad and Mathew making beef stews and Don a Lamb stew. No one could decide a winner but we all stuffed ourselves silly with the outstanding creations.

Shane then attempted to make a chocolate damper for desert, a perfect way to christen our brand new camp oven, but he slipped while removing the lid the whole thing got covered in ash and embers, although no one was deterred the damper was shook off and eaten anyway “She’ll be right mate” “just a bit of extra crunch”.

On Sunday it was my Dad’s 56th birthday so a concoction of red wine and rum was partaken in.

On Monday Riley took six whole steps buy himself and then proceeded to take a few here and there. He took a few more once we got home, boy is it weird to see him wobble and walk – he’s growing up way too fast.

Riley has fast become a terrific camper, he slept well and enjoyed playing with leaves, dirt and dogs the whole time. The fishing wasn’t as plentiful as the boys would have liked, but you can’t have everything. We slept up the top of the roof top tent with Riley down the bottom in a porta-cot. I’d spent the two weeks prior putting him to sleep in the porta-cot at home to get him used to it and it seems to have paid off. He’d flight sleep during the day, but slept quite well at night, possibly because he’s so exhausted from his adventures.

10277009_1426698347585527_3840396842785608338_nOn Tuesday we headed home and yet again Riley Impressed us with his traveling abilities.

2013 The Year That Was

20132013 The Year You Were Born. 2013 on an early June morn, well before dawn.

I Wrote this as a time capsule, a snapshot of the year that my son was born, you never know it may be extremely interesting in 30-50 years.

2013 (MMXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2013th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 13th year of the 3rd millennium, the 13th year of the 21st century, and the 4th year of the 2010s decade.

Monarch was: Queen Elizabeth II

Prime Minister of Australia was: Julia Gillard (until 27 June), then Kevin Rudd (until 18 September), then Tony Abbott.

Price of Bread was: $1.50-ish (You could buy fancy stuff for upwards of five dollars, but good old plain Coles home brand bad arse white bread was only $1)

Price of a newspaper was: $1.20

Price of a movie tickets for an Adult was: $11.50

Music: One Direction’s Midnight Memories was the biggest selling artist album of the year.

Movies: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the top grossing movie of the year.

January: On the 4th to 20th a heat wave in south-eastern Australia resulted in several bushfires in Tasmania, but in good old Australian style on the 23rd a monsoon trough passed over parts of Queensland and New South Wales, causing severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes. Ah beautiful unpredictable Aussie weather.

February: On the 17th Australia won the 2013 Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, although I doubt most of Australia realised this as they only seem to care about Male Cricket!

March: On the 21st Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a speech apologising on behalf of the federal government to families affected by forced adoption in Australia. On the 30th The Murrawarri Republic declares its independence from the Commonwealth of Australia.

April: On the 17th Australia’s greatest racing horse since Phar Lap and one of the greatest mares in world history, Black Caviar was retired on an unbeaten record of 25 wins. Which was Good! Because the old girl deserved to live the rest of her life happily.

May: On the 3rd Harrison (Harry) Miller was born giving Jaxson a little Brother and Carissa and Danny a second son.

June: On the 26th Kevin Rudd defeats Julia Gillard 57 to 45 in an Australian Labor Party leadership spill and takes over as Prime Minister. On the 27th Riley Paul Fairbairn was born at John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia, 3.15am, 4.3 kilos.

July: On the 9th the Giant telescope Murchison Widefield Array telescope in Western Australia, goes online. On the 17th the Queensland Maroons win the 2013 State of Origin series, the team’s eighth consecutive win (Rugby league). Oh Well there’s always Next year for the New South Wales Blues! On the 22nd Prince George of Cambridge was born; Prince George of Cambridge is the son of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and the only grandchild at the time of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born in St Mary’s Hospital, London in the United Kingdom. On the 23rd the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s AUD $630 million New Central Office is opened in Canberra.

August: On the 3rd Simon Kruger, a seven-year-old boy, goes missing in the bush after wandering away from a family picnic. He is found by searchers the next day, and claimed that a kangaroo had kept him warm as he slept under a tree. On the 12th the Euahlayi Nation declares its independence from the Commonwealth of Australia.

September: On the 7th The Liberal/National coalition led by Tony Abbott won the 2013 federal election. Bustard! Give me back the Ranga Gillard Thanks!! (but that’s just my opinion).

October: On the 6th the Sydney Roosters defeated the Manly Sea Eagles 26–18 in the 2013 NRL Grand Final. On the 13th the 2013 New South Wales bushfires begin. The fires were the worst New South Wales had seen since the 1960s. As of 19th, 248 houses and other structures were destroyed across the state. Two fatalities were attributed to the fires and it was estimated that claims would exceed $94 million. The 2013 New South Wales bushfires were a series of bushfires across the state of New South Wales starting or becoming notable on 13th; followed by the worst of the fires beginning in the Greater Blue Mountains Area on 16th and 17th. At the peak of the fires, on the morning of the 18th, over 100 fires were burning across the state. On the 22nd the Marriage Equality Act 2013 was passed in the Australian Capital Territory, making the ACT the first state or territory to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia. But the High Court chucked out ACT’s same-sex marriage laws. After being married for less than a week, same-sex couples who wed in the ACT will have their unions annulled after the High Court ruled against the laws. Very Sad! That the Australia government is so full of morons and small minded people. One day hopefully this will change.

November: On the 5th Fiorente, ridden by jockey Damien Oliver, won the 2013 Melbourne Cup. The first Melbourne Cup horse race was run in Melbourne cup 1861, so that’s 152 years so far!

December: On the 10th the analog television signal is switched off in Victoria, completing Australia’s digital television transition. On the 11th Aussie Car manufacturer Holden announces it will cease production of vehicles in Australia by 2017. Crushed, by this news I was. On the 17th Australia regains The Ashes for the first time in seven years, after winning the first three tests of the 2013–14 Ashes series (Male Cricket). On the 28th Wild Oats XI takes line honours in the 2013 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the yacht’s seventh win. The First Sydney to Hobart was in 1945 and the fleet comprised 9 starters and of those 9 starters, 8 yachts completed the race. The inaugural race, like all those that followed, began on Sydney Harbour, at noon on Boxing Day (26th), before heading south for 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) through the Tasman Sea, past Bass Strait, into Storm Bay and up the Derwent River, to cross the finish line in Hobart, Tasmania.

Weekly Writing Challenge: Golden Years

In this week’s writing challenge we are being asked to explore what age means to us.

I always wanted to grow up, to be older. I looked forward to each birthday with great enthusiasm. I think the turning point was when I hit twenty four. As a teenager I’d told myself I’d get my shit together as an adult and it’d be awesome. When I turned twenty four I really struggled and had a life crises in my head, I tried to keep it to myself and not let on how much I was freaking out inside. At twenty four my life was nothing like I had planned! And I couldn’t handle that fact. I’ve always been obsessed with age and am terrified of death. Since having my son at twenty six, I got over my whole life not as I planned issues, because he’s better than anything I had planned. I have to remind myself daily that I’m not old. That I’m still young at twenty seven and can still accomplish all the things I want to. My dreams have changed since having my son and I really do think they changed for the better. Before having my son I dreamed constantly of being nineteen and carefree again! But I wouldn’t go back now. I really wish I could slow down time, so I could enjoy my current life and my son’s for two life times, because one will simply not be enough for all the love I have and all the things I want to do.

I guess age is just a number and it’s all about how you feel. Well some days I’m still that carefree nineteen year old. Some days I feel one hundred and some days I’m still a fucked up scared little fifteen year old who’s experiencing the real world for the first time.

I think I freak out the older I get because I’m pushing the risk factor, like every year I survive the universe is compounding more ways to take me out before I’m ready. I try to live my life with no regrets, because when I’m lying on my death bed at hopefully a ripe old age, I don’t want to be afraid, I want to say ‘’Yep I had a good time, I accomplished all I wanted and I’m reading for the party to end’’.

I am working towards my dreams and my goals. But just like telling myself every day I have time, I must tell myself to be patient because these things will not happen overnight.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/weekly-writing-challenge-golden-years/

VIP

VIP: Post 65 of 365 Post Prompts for 2014.

Hey, only 300 more to go LOL!

Today’s post asks us who is the most important person in our lives and how would our day-to-day existence be different without them.

Well that’s an easy question for me = My Son.

Riley and Me

Life without my son would be; quieter, cheaper, I’d get to sleep in, I’d have privacy and time to myself. But I wouldn’t have as much love or as many smiles. There would be a hole in my soul, so large I couldn’t control and I think my existence would fade away.