2004-memory

A wonderful message..movie review

Recently, we had the opportunity to see a wonderful Christian movie at the cinemas -COURAGEOUS.  The same directors as Fireproof.

We heard it advertised on our local Christian radion station and we wanted to support it. It was M rated, this concerned us as we wanted to take Brid. I suggested to Dermot we  check the dove foundation for a review.  We decided after reading there take on it, that it was OK for Brid to view.

After Piano lessons Dermot drove us into the city. It is usually rather busy on the roads in the late afternoon. This concerned me, bumper to bumper on the bridge into town. Oh Joy!!- not. It was a concern, because I had no idea as to how to get into the cinemas, as they were new-ish. The roads were completely clear and we arrived at the cinema 10 minutes before the movie started. This gave us plenty of time to buy an icecream and choose a seat.

The movie theate was fairly full. It looked like the patrons were from  various church groups with a smattering of others. How could I tell, you say. Well they are sat in rows together and they appeared to know each other.
There was no advertising before the movie, no previews. I wondered why? A projector failure. Surely they don’t use projectors.  A computer failure, or just an agreement between the cinema and  the movie company?? I don’t know, but it was very pleasant.
The movie was about a group of warrant officers in a state in USA. Their stories, where they came from and there walk with God. It showed good Christian morals and how each of these men wanted the best for their families. There was even a family who homeschooled. The movie centred around a Resolution that these men made in front of their families and each other to be the very best Father they could be, using the principles set out by Our Lord in the Bible.  
It asked men to be men of God and stand for up for their believes in God to their family and the world. It showed their struggles afterward and the way The Lord worked in their lives.  It stated that the problems we have today with gangs and young people would not be, if Fathers actually took there role seriously as fathers.
It ended with a scene in a church, with one of the men speaking of his experience to the congregation. People actually stood up at the end of the movie and made this resolution as well. It was a very powerful scene and a wonderful movie.

There was a point in the movie were the little girl asked her Daddy to dance with her, in  public place. He didn’t.  He regretted it. Would you Dance with your son or daughter?  I know Dermot would, He has. I would too?

Take a box of tissues and go see this movie.  Brid and I sat close, holding hands and sharing tissues. There were a couple of scenes that were 'physical fighting' scenes, which she needed me to talk her through, and scenes where she wanted to hold her Dads' hand- umm for 20mins. His arm stretched over me. He did it because she needed his hand.

May God bless you, May he empower us to build up strong men and women to bring the world to know Jesus.

What an Adventure

Wow what a month....  We had a homeschool camp, a week away as a family, and two weeks official school holidays between terms 3 and 4.
We had such a busy time, I ended up needing a few days to recover. And in truth so did Brid.

I wanted to share with you about our holiday.
We decided as we were so close to the Boarder of NSW & Queensland, that we would take a holiday up that way.
As Dermot works from home, its harder for him to switch off if we have holidays at home, so we try to get away at least once a year.

Coolangatta Beach

So back to our holiday...We left camp...stopped in the village of Lennox Head, had a lovely morning coffee and milkshake, and drove the hour or so to Coolangatta.
We needed to waste a little time as we were unable to check in to our accomodation before 1pm, so we drove through Byron Bay and had the car washed. It was very very dusty.
The Gps got us to our accomodation and we checked in, unpacked and were taken aback by the gorgeous views. We would see Dermot  later that afternoon. Meanwhile, we got used to our surroundings and relaxed. Had a late lunch on the beach and sent txtx back to family.
We got lost getting to the airport- the gps took us on back streets that didn't exist anymore. All I wanted to do was see my Darling.
So finally with Dermot arriving safely on the scheduled flight from our home town, we started our holiday, But not before one young lady got the bug that everyone else got after camp. No fun for her or us getting up most of the night. By the next evening she was beginning to feel better. So We had a fairly chilled out quite day.

Anne & myself

Our first big day was meeting up with another Homeschooling family and a Lady who always inspires me. We had a lovely day at Marian Valley- once we found it. After Mass, it didn't take long to spot Anne. That was a special meeting. It was lunch time so we shared what we had prepared. Anne and Phil and there children walked us around the valley and we looked at each of the statues and the grottos.
The Children explored and made friends. At the end of the day, the children were making a bridge close to where we were picnicing.
The piety shop was worth the visit. There was a talk being presented on Padre Pio, but we were happy to just chat. The day came to a close much to quickly, but we have lovely memories.

just getting to know the Dolphin

Us at Sea World

Sea World was next on the list. I love Sea World and although it was Brid who chose the place we would go, I secretly hoped she would choose Sea World. We asked  for a homeschool discount and we received one. Wow.. great saving. We have been to this park before when our older children were little- Brid was a baby, and it has grown each time. This time we wanted Brid to have an adventure with the Dolphins. It was a great experience, and apart from the DVD and photo we received, in a package,  we have some very cool photos of her with the Dolphins.

At the boarder

Our all day long excursions to these difference parks we explored, were offset by days of just chilling by the surf, on the beach, or a lovely beach walk during the day or at sunset.

What the Zoo is famous for- its crocs

Africa section- Steve Irwin dreamed of this  

We visited the Wildlife warriors intensive care for wounded annimals- attached to the zoo.

We have been to Australia Zoo as well-again when Brid was very young, but as we particularly like it, we drove the 2 hours north, past Brisbane and into the sunshine coast. We knew it was a long drive making it a big day but it was definitely worthwhile.
We have seen Australia Zoo grow from a very small zoo to its size today. Its message has always been conservation, preservation. It was a great learning day. The wildlife warriors hospital was an interesting experience seeing the animals hurt by human misadventure and the extend of the hospital

So after a week, sunning ourselves, long beach walks, theme parks and catching up with friends it was time to travel south. We dropped in to see Erin on our way home. Thanks for lunch Erin.
And then the long drive South. We were rather surprised at the journey only taking 8 and half hours, once we took our stops out.

A little addit, Brid took most of these photos, thanks to her wonderful photography course she took with some other hunter homeschooling teens

Every now and again...

What music did you enjoy when you were younger?

Whilst I was a teen and younger I was like any teeny bopper of my age, I loved Pop music and countdown- Australian popular music show. I was raised in a fairly secular home.
When I was a preteen, I saw Suzi Quatro on the TV and I fell in love with her music and wanted to research her every song and move, everything she liked. Obsessed. Maybe....
I grew up with her music and posters all over my walls and remember every tour she did of Australia, every song to every album. I was hooked. I had scrapbooks and collected everything Suzi. I liked that she was a Catholic.  I identified with us both being Catholic. This was yet another piece in the puzzle  in my discovery of God.
As my relationship with Jesus grew I tried to weigh this all up. I know that I needed to renounce this music, but it’s not that bad. Its just good fun.
You see I have personally met Suzi, so I knew she was a really normal cool person. She is like a friend to my whole family.  I have watched as a fan as she branched out into theatre, stage acting, as she became a mum, as she hurt when her Mum died, joined her on facebook, and as wrote her autobiography, and remarked at each new song she wrote.  All our children know who she is and have been raised with her music. Some have even seen her concerts.
So my little secret is now out there, I am a huge Suzi Quatro fan. ( Not that I am ashamed of it, its just I don't discuss it regularly.) I have seen her around the world and even got to spend time with her on one aussie tour in particular. I was friends with the road crew and her band. We have a friendship forged with Bev in the UK.
So how does this fit into my life as a committed Catholic. ?
How do I weigh it all up?  I don’t. I leave it up to God. Every couple of years I see her play a few gigs in Australia. I am Leanne- little rocker for a few hours a night and then I return to normality..
Suzi is back in Australia for the next few weeks. Dermot took me to see her in Queensland and last night in Sydney.  We have one more show to go and that will be a family affair.

a few years ago...

So do you have any secrets in your closets.???

24 years ago...

We celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary earlier this week. We were married in my local parish.
We met 25 years ago in London. I was working in a pub, as most Aussies did when they took up a working Visa in the UK. Dermot was a London resident.
We met the first week I arrived. My heart skipped a beat.
We eventually spent more and more time together. We would take long walk in the park, enjoy Covent gardens, all those things couples do. I would leave work and he was there at the back, with his wink waiting to drop me home.
Fairly quickly we realised that we were meant to be together.
Within three weeks we were talking Marriage, the name of our children, how many children do you think we would be Blessed with?
Then the big decision were to live? I could get UK residency. That was not an issue, but was this the right place to start our life together?
Dermot decided that he would emigrate to Australia. This process took quite some time.
The Australian Embassy was quite slow at processing Dermot's forms.
We had a couple of hiccups. The Australian Government was only interested in Legal and people with 3 A levels. Dermot had neither. So we chose to apply for a fiance' visa.
This still took many months but at least if I stayed in the UK, He was more assured of being successful in his application. So we kept busy working and enjoying life together. By this stage I was a live out Nanny.
In the mean time, We needed to tell Dermots parents. They were not amused at all, and I was not the most popular person.
Eventually they knew it was inevitable and we would be leaving the shores of the UK with a destination of Australia.
The go ahead was given, and we needed to choose a date, it was governed by our marriage date, so the 5th June was our exit date. If you have a Fiance' visa, a 90 day period is givenfor you to Marry. So with my Parents assistance and the documents supplied by the Parish Priest we were to be married some 90 days later.
So our day arrived. I was late arriving at the church. The photographer held us up.
I looked at the invited guests. I said to my Dad, "There aren't many people". He said, "don't worry about that". It was a big arc shaped church, so it does hold a large congregation....The rest for another day.
So 24 years ago Dermot & I were married. I feel like the most Blessed women in the world. He is so adorable and he tries so hard to love me like I would like to be loved.

So Little Brid put a lovely request on the radio. "walking her home". Its all about the journey of a married couples life. I hope and pray we are able to walk each other home, even to our Lord. What a Blessed life we have loving each other. That is the  witness our world needs. Married couples loving each other through every good and difficult time.

I love you my Love, my best friend.  

memory - the suds

I have another little Memory.  

My favourite inside game was playing in the dishwashing suds in the washing up water. Mum would fill the sink. Wash up the knives and sharp items and then it was my turn.

This is another little story.....

I would climb up on a chair. I would be in my element.
I remember listening to the radio and pouring tea for the ladies and beer for the men. The suds served as the froth in the glasses and as milk in the tea and saucers.
I listened to every song on the radio, and even now, when I here songs from that era, and I realise I was too young to remember this. I would think... “aaahhh.. it was a washing up song.”
It was such fun, eventually everything would get put into the drainer, and I would be finished. Dad would come in and wipe up. Often there was very little done, but playing. It kept me occupied though, and It is really good memory.
There were no real accidents this time, except a maybe water on the lino floor.
Washing up has always been my thing.
My children have not really taken to this fun activity. Maybe its because there is so much more to do in there generation.
So these days, I wash up, and everyone wipes up. Do you have a memory?

memories...can you remember !!!!

I have wanted to write a post called memories for ages. Trouble was I needed some old photos. I then needed to scan them in to the computer.  I finally remembered to ask Mum for some photo albums. I can now scan to my hearts content. My memory posts can begin.

It was my favourite thing to do as a very young girl. Make mud pies.
There was always a never ending supply of dirt and water to make mud pies, under the house. I was probably all of 4.
I had made my mud pie and to be authentic, I would use mums’ good cooking tins. The anodized, brassy, gold colour ones. This one day I placed my masterpiece in the oven. I was pretending to let it cook. I got busy doing something else while waiting for the imaginary pie to be ready for my guests- my dolls.

This is what Mum has told me since:-My Mum came past and looked at the oven, through the glass door. To herself she said, “Oh I must have made dinner already, I will just turn it on”.

Ooops.  Mum came back to mud plopping and spluttering out of the tin in the oven. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

It was mid to late  afternoon and I know she was getting my little brother settled. I often played outside, when she was attending to my brother.

I don’t actually remember Mum turning the oven on, or the mess in the oven, but Mum has reminded me many times of my mud pies.  

So there you have it, my mud pies. So ladies watch your darlings and check wants in the oven before turning it on. I always have. And guess what, Mum did from that day on as well.

Yes this is me..playing outside

I will be back with another memory.

Give and receive

Do you recycle your clothing? Do you sort and wonder whether to let go of those items or not? All those memories attached to each item?

When Brid was a baby, I sort of knew she could be our last. You jusy know. So I kept her 'oooo', her 'ooo', even when she was too big for them. Mind you, she was a little baby, so she fitted into them for some time. I think, I still have some items to this day, in my memory box.
A few years ago a special friend would give me all her youngest daughters cast offs.
They were always welcome, especially with 4 children and 3 teenagers demands on the household economy.
We have always supported St Vincent de Paul society, and handed in our clothes, blankets, bedding, all types of items over the years. When we moved we gave them so many used and loved items. I truly hope they went to a good home, where they were needed.
Our children have always been spoilt by there Grandma and Grandad in the way of clothing. Don't all Grandparents.
So the children always had several really nice outfits, to wear  to Mass and special occasions.

As Brid is the only one at home now, we have no one to hand her clothes down to. Each time Brid says "Mum it is too small". We both have a sad face at each other, because it was another one of our favourites.
Each item has special memories. "remember when we bought that?"
"Oh Mum remember, when we went there. I was wearing that skirt and top".
How we place importance on an outfit, but maybe its just the memory that is associated with the item of clothing. Its like history.

So I have had several bags of clothes in my wardrobe awaiting sorting.
I finally got the courage to undertake this task and sorted them.
It was a trip down memory lane.
I had been praying for a family to give these loved items too and finally it was revealed to me.
So now they are with there new owners and beginning new memories for another family.

Too cute

Brid still has these teddys. And all the blankets were her baby blankets. too cute.

I have been organising and deleting photos from my computer, and I came across these ones. Brid LOVED and still loves playing cubby houses.