Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings is great, shame it ends tonight. I love that it gets dark later and we have more daylight to play with. I'm grateful for the extra daylight hours we have had in the day for the last few weeks. Steph

The Sounds Of Tranquility

This morning I woke up in my own bed for the first time in two weeks, and it was bliss. There were no sounds from planes flying past or the sounds from the nearby main road traffic. The sounds I did hear were of birds twittering, singing and fluttering. These are the sounds I like to hear every morning. Bliss! Steph

Independence

I'm feeling a little guilty that I haven't blogged each day but at the same time feeling a little unmotivated to do so. You see, I am staying at my sister's place in Melbourne and haven't been back home since the day Dad died which was Thursday 15th March, so I am missing being at home in my own place and the piece and quiet that goes with it. I' m not allowed to drive or sit in the car too long, therefore the trip home which is four and a half hours is a little on the long side. I am going home this Thursday after seeing my doctor who will remove my stitches, thank goodness. I can't wait to go home. So, what shall I blog about then? I suppose I should really blog about being so lucky that I am independent and love my own space and not having to rely on anyone to do everyday stuff for me. I realized this after being unable to do certain things due to my op, thank goodness it's only for a short while, otherwise I could go mad. I do however like the fact that I'm not allowed to clean, yeh! I hate cleaning, although I do clean as I hate unclean and untidy places. Independence is great and I can't wait to get it back. Steph

Fast Healing

Although I have several painful twitches in my incision site, it's not too bad and has healed quite fast. Today the dressing came off and looking at the cut it's good to see how amazing and fast my skin has healed. I'm grateful for fast healing.
Steph

Courageous People

Just watched The Help, Wow! The hardship  and racial descrimination the blacks endured in America many years ago. Yet they still managed to find things to be grateful for and things to be happy about. The courage they must have had to keep going, something most of us will never experience in our whole life time. I'm grateful for the second time today, for the people that documented these events and facts so that we learn from them and understand how lucky we are, and hopefully never ever let it happen again. After all, we are all human, no matter what colour we are.
Steph

Good Movies

It's really, really hard for me to just sit and do nothing. At the moment I don't have much choice as I'm not allowed because of my op. So I'm grateful today for good movies, they kept me occupied just for a little while anyway.
Steph

Passing Wind

Passing wind is what I'm truly grateful for today as after my op, my tummy was so pumped up with gas that the build up was painful, and passing wind was great pain relief, naturally much better than tablets that make me itchy.
Steph

Successful Operation

I'm sitting in a hospital bed at the moment as on Wednesday I had an operation (planned histerectemy) and I can't seem to drop back off to sleep. I was fast asleep until just after 11pm and then the nurses came in to do the observations. Anyway here I am wondering what to be grateful for, I suppose I should be grateful that the op went well and I'm not in much pain, and that the drugs they pumped into me yesterday made me so drowsy that I had some sleep. I quite like that really drowsy feeling. Ashame it didn't last just little longer.
Steph

Strength and Amazing Family

Thank God today is over, it went well, considering it was my papa's funeral. I am grateful that I stood up and said the eulogy, even though at first I thought I was going to break down just after one line. But then I paused and kept going and paused and kept going, right through until I had finished. At one point I paused so long trying to contain my tears and stop myself from breaking down into a blubbering mess that my sister stood up to come and support me, but I held up my hand as if to say, "stop" and she did. If she had come beside me I would have definitely broken down and would not have been able to say the whole eulogy. I am proud of myself for doing it on my own, for standing there and talking about my father at this difficult and sad time. I'm grateful for the strength I have at this particular moment, I don't completely understand it, but I'm grateful for it. I am also not only grateful, but so very proud of my children, Nicholas, Alexander and Zoe, Nick's girlfriend Becka, my sister Isabella, and ofcourse my gorgeous husband Dave, they have coped well, they have been supportive to myself and especially to my mum. They have all been truly amazing and I couldn't ask for a better family. I love them dearly. Steph

Megan and Melinda That's What Friends Are For

Today I had to prepare the food for papa's funeral which is tomorrow and my friends Megan and Melinda came over to help. It was really nice that they did this but also great that I had someone to cook with and talk to about whatever. Of course I thanked them and Melinda said "That's what friends are for" and she is right! Steph

Redirecting My Thoughts

I'm grateful for the ability to place myself elsewhere, to redirect my mind so as to not think about the present and the fact that my father just died 4 days ago, and my mother is truly sad that her partner of fifty years has passed and is not returning to her. I'm truly hoping that I can keep this up, at least until after the funeral, so that I can stand up there, in the chapel and present my eulogy, without breaking down and crying. Somehow I have managed this front for this long, so hopefully I can do this for just a little longer. Steph

Innocent and Accidentally Funny Priest

Today we had to go and see the priest that will be giving the mass for my father's funeral to arrange the details etc. Myself, Dave, my Mum, my sister, my eldest son Nick and his girlfriend went. The first thing the priest said to us was "so it was your mother who died?", I replied "no, mum is just here" oops, first mistake, then he proceeded to explain what happens, and about the readings etc, the priest is Indian, and hard to understand as he has a very strong accent. He paused at some point and we all thought he had taken a nap, my son Nick and I had to stop ourselves from laughing. When we were explaining what songs we would like, he told us that they need to be appropriate for mass, and that when he does weddings he doesn't allow romantic love songs, Huh! We are all now very confused, but still a little humoured by this unusual man. There was a point where there was a slip of the tongue as we were speaking of the funeral coordinator named Alice, and the priest kept referring to her as Alison, and Dave says "who the hell is Alice" as in the song (without the profanity). We all stared at Dave as if to say "why did you say hell, we are now talking to a priest?" Also when we were deciding who was to read the 1st reading, it was decided that Dave would. Mum thought Dave was going to sing the Responsorial Psalm aswell and the thought of it made Mum laugh but she tried to hide it which made it worse. My God, this is a funeral we are arranging and we are laughing, and so is Mum, how good is this! When we left the priest told us how busy they were and that they had four wedding that day, so Dave says "Oh, four weddings and a funeral", this went straight over the priest's head. When the priest had gone we all let out a laugh as we couldn't hold it in any longer, that guy made us laugh, not deliberately, but by pure innocence. Thanks to the innocent and accidentally funny priest, he made Mum laugh just a little.

Steph

Sydney John Zammit- 11/3/1936 - 15/3/2012

My dad Sydney John Zammit was born 11th March, 1936. He married my mother Maria-Dolores Zammit (same maiden name- no relations and didn't have to change her name) and they had three girls, Maria (who passed away at 21 in February, 1986), me Stephanie and Isabella. He loved us dearly and wanted the best for all of us. Dad has had a heart condition for about eighteen years and for the last six months has been on 24hr oxygen, he has been in and out of hospital so many times we have lost count. The last time I saw my dad he was laughing so hard as he told silly jokes to us all, he was happy. I think he was happy because his whole family where with him, three generations under one roof. Sadly today, Thursday, 15th March, 2012, my Papa as I call him, passed away, his heart could give no more. He was a strong man, tough enough to put up with heart pain and discomfort for eighteen years, tough enough to endure heartache when his daughter died at such a young age of 21, when his wife was diagnosed with Hodgkins four times, and when his youngest daughter's husband died from cancer at the age of 31, and not forgetting the passing of his parents and some of his brothers and sisters.

I am grateful for my Papa for all the wonderful family memories, for bringing us up with morals, self respect and love. Our family is very close and we are pretty tough, I think my Papa had taught us that. We love you and miss you already. Say hello to Maria for us.
Steph

My Blog

Im grateful for my blog because when I am stuck and not feeling as positive as I should be, I read my blog. This reminds me of how many things I am grateful for. Steph

TV

Hmmmmmmmm.....what shall I blog about???????..........hmmmmmmmm! TV"....... I don't normally watch much TV, but we record shows like 'Midsomer Murders which we like to watch and even Zoe likes watching. So I'm grateful for TV for some of the great shows we can record and watch at our leisure. Steph

Long Weekends

I was truly lazy and tired on Saturday night and did a very quick lame blog and last night didn't blog at all, and now  I feel bad for it so I'm making up for it.

This weekend, I am grateful that it is a long weekend and we have had 3 days to catch up on stuff and friends who have come from Riddells Creek to be with us. Yesterday we spent most of the day at Lake Tyers fishing which was fun for all.  We actually caught fish this time which was good for the kids, however I did feel bad about the poor fish dying for our dinner. Not sure that I want fish after today even though I like it, I don't like being responsible for its death. Anyway the weekend was enjoyable (for us humans) and we have today left before getting back to work. Not sure what the day will bring for us. We shall see.
Steph

Sleep

Sleep, I'm really tired and can't wait go to sleep. Steph

Sunshine

You truly aren't appreciative of things until all of a sudden you don't have them for a while, and we haven't had much sunshine lately, it has bucketed down with rain for the last few days. Hopefully the rain will stop for a while and let the sunshine back through, so we can enjoy our BBQ and swim (if not too cold, but kids don't care anyway) on Saturday when we have guests over who are here for the whole weekend. Please let the sun shine again soon...... that is this Saturday. Please!
Steph

Happy full of life people

Today I watched a video from a link that was sent to us via email by Dave's dad in England, it was about a young man who had no arms or legs, just a body, head and a very tiny stumpy little leg with a deformed foot. He was giving teenagers a talk at their school about motivational stuff and how not to worry, he said that he is so happy and always smiling even though he is like this and how he never wishes for arms and legs as there was no point in worrying about it as its never going to happen. He drives a boat, slides down water slides, plays golf and swims. He probably does more than what most of us do. The video made me cry, it made me realise in an instance how lucky we are and how silly we are that we worry about stupid things, especially about how we look.  I'm grateful for having arms and legs but I'm even more grateful for happy people such as the man in the video, who makes us think about enjoying life and being happy right now, no matter what! It's true to say that it's your attitude to life or events that  truly matters and determines your immediate happiness!
Steph

Check this site out, it will make you think hard about your life and most probably teary.

www.stumbleupon.com/su/2V8KwU/www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE

Frozen Bolognaise

I just love that I am prepared for nights after work when I'm tired and can't be bothered and I have frozen bolognaise sauce in the freezer for the carnivores. Its great that I only have to put pasta on and heat the sauce, however I usually still have to make my own dinner. Luckily mine takes less time than heating up their sauce.
Steph

True Friends

True friendship is when no matter how long you haven't seen each other or spoken to each other, the minute you see one another or hear each other, is like you have never been apart. You have so much to talk about and so much to catch up on. It's  great, getting to know each other all over again! I think that no matter how much effort you put in, to ring or write or visit your friends, it stills takes two to tango.
Steph

Dream A Little

Do you ever wish yourself somewhere else in the world, maybe just for a few seconds? Well, I do quite often, not sure why, usually the place is far from where I live now and somehow in the future but no one I know that's there has aged any. Tonight while putting Zoe to bed, I told her to think of a place she wanted to be, I immediately thought of us being in a country garden outside our country cottage which is surrounded with aromatic flowers and herbs, which happened to be in the French province. And also in my thoughts was me riding my bike to the French patisserie down the country lane and into town to buy some mouth watering cream pastries or cakes, and maybe a baguette to go with some cheese for later when we open the superb wine. Doesn't hurt to dream a little!
Steph

YUM!

SO FRENCH! Ooh La La!

I am imagining myself here right now.

Finished, Complete

What shall I be grateful for today? Hmmm, I could be grateful for Ajax which helped me clean the bathroom, walls and cupboards, or I could be grateful for deadlines otherwise things could go on and on and on, or trailers which helped with the move, or the invention of vacuum cleaners which helped with the carpets, or the mop and bucket which did the tiles! But today I think I'll be grateful about being finished, done, complete as I was well and truly over shifting stuff and then having to clean and clean and shift more stuff, but now it's finished all done for atleast another six months, I mean the moving stuff, as the cleaning never  finishes!
Steph

Rest

I'm obviously tired, I hadn't noticed that I didn't blog yesterday, too tired. Oh well the weekend is here, time for rest.
Steph