Blogger
These are blog posts from the site Blogger, from 2011-2012
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Mahatma Gandhi quote, with addition
Nor will I allow people to walk through my heart with dirty feet.
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Quote
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” Herm Albright Originally posted on Blogger 6 September 2012
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For Mum
Originally posted a couple of weeks before my mother passed away, I recalled a letter I wrote to her after recovering from surgery that led to significant rehabilitation. The letter was prompted from the thought of what I would say in eulogy, then why do we not say it to the person while they are alive? This was my way of telling my mother I loved her.
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Stuck
Sometimes all the strategies in the world do not help when you are stuck and it seems like motivation is non-existent.
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In memory
Originally posted on Blogger 15 February 2012 Today is Val’s birthday – wonderful husband to Barb and father to John and Brian. Today we also remember the fall of Singapore in 1942 – where sadly, Val spent a few years in Changi. A few years ago I had the honour and privilege of repairing and retouching the photo of Val’s battalion, the 2/29th, with the sad realisation that many did not make it home to their families. With the commemoration of 70 years since these events my thoughts have been with them these last few days. Today is also the memoriam of my grandfathers passing. Lest we forget.
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Hibiscus
Originally posted on Blogger 12 January 2012 There are two hibiscus where I now live. The yellow one below is in the front garden and there is a pink one in the back yard. You may have noticed I love taking photos but these days I don’t have pets or young children (like my nephews) to take photos of (although they aren’t young children anymore) so flowers seem to be my thing. It helps that I’m an aromatherapist so love doing the macro photos and seeing the weenie hairs on stems, leaves, stamen etc. For these flowers, the attraction was trying to get all of that and the ants that…
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This beautiful photo and story brought tears
Pablo Casals, 1954 Originally posted on Blogger 7 January 2012 In the Abbey de Cuxa in Prades, I spent several glorious hours with the master of the cello. Our rapport was instantaneous – he trusted me to carry his cherished instrument. I was so moved on listening to him play Bach that I could not, for some moments, attend to photography. I have never photographed anyone, before or since, with his back turned to the camera, but it seemed to me just right. For me, the bare room conveys the loneliness of the artist, at the pinnacle of his art, and also the loneliness of exile. Years later, when this…
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Crepe myrtle
Originally posted on Blogger 6 January 2012 I had never really noticed Crepe myrtle until I moved to my current home. Once someone pointed it out to me I discovered them scattered all over the suburb where I live and quite probably it has been elsewhere too but I’ve just not seen it. How could I not with its striking colours? Because there are many species of Crepe myrtle the best I can do is give the genus of Lagerstroemia. The trees are native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia and parts of Oceania, so again I have a plant that is not from around these parts! The…
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What to do with unwanted presents…
Re-gifting? Originally posted on Blogger 4 January 2012. I found a story in The Age about a tweet that Alexander McCall Smith had sent out at Christmas about what to do with unwanted gifts. He had an interesting take that you can give away, throw away or sell but no earlier than one month after Christmas. I realised recently that I didn’t want to be involved in secret santa with work because I didn’t want to end up with new clutter. I did receive one gift from someone which was meant as a gag gift but I still don’t see why they would take the time to find and gift…
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Jade blooming
Originally posted on Blogger 2 January 2012. When I first moved in 6 years ago I took a cutting, a small stem of jade plant that was in my back yard and planted it into a pot that I plonked by the front door. I can be brutal when it comes to caring for it. A quick search of jade plant (thanks Wikipedia) and I find it’s name is Crassula ovata. It is a succulent that has small pink or white flowers and is native to South Africa. Watering it every 10-20 days over summer is fine – Oh, so I’ve not been too cruel! Phew! The thing that surprised…
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Movie review: The First Grader (2010)
Originally posted on Blogger 29 November 2011 The First Grader, directed by Justin Chadwick, is set around 2004 when the Kenyan government announced free education for all. Of course they meant children, but an 84 year old man, Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge, took them at their word – free education for all. Maruge (played beautifully by Oliver Litondo) has received a letter from the government, but since he can’t read he would like to know exactly what it says. At one point he remarks to journalists that he would like to know what is really in the bible as you can’t completely trust the preachers. He wants to learn to read as…
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I get confused too when they do it
Q: Why is it the grocery store thinks they have to relocate the isles now and then? A: To confuse the pirates? Originally posted on Blogger 5 September 2011
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Birthday SMS received in 2003
A birthday haiku is a wonderful thing it’s a pity I can’t count From dear friend Tony Originally posted on Blogger 28 August 2011
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From the electronic photo album
Originally posted on Blogger 27 August 2011. Photos from my Nikon Coolpix 8700 bought in 2004.
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Escape Velocity
Originally posted on Blogger 24 August 2011. Escape velocity is when you’re going to leave them and they know. For example, you’re set to marry the nice guy and Mr Poison gets wind of it and phones up; about to go on an important business trip and your husband suddenly needs you for no real reason; about to leave a bad job and you get a raise. The whole trick is to evade the test. We all draw to us the one test that’s our total nemesis. In order to achieve escape velocity, we must learn to keep our own counsel, to move silently among doubters, to voice our plans…
