When the adult kids come home – and all hell breaks loose

I sometimes chuckle smugly when others complain their grown up kids don’t leave home, for years or decades. I feel just a tad righteous because we managed to offload both of ours straight after uni and packed them off to live independently and successfully in different cities. But here we are, 10 years later and

2018: the year that was, in words and pics

Personally speaking, 2018 was a pretty bloody good year, though it disappeared much more quickly than I’d like. A tell tale sign of ageing, to be sure. There was much to be grateful for. I’m aware it wasn’t great for many, so that’s even more reason to be grateful. My year brought some great joys

Luck and gratitude, and a brand new baby girl

Just days ago, at about the exact time Australia welcomed its 25th million citizen, a new baby was born into our tribe – another strong, beautiful granddaughter for us. And as I hold this brand new bundle, only hours in this world, I ponder the notions of luck and gratitude. I’m not going to tell you that this

The final clean out

After many months and literally hundreds of hours of sifting, sorting, cleaning and distributing, my mother’s house is finally cleared and emptied, and sold to another family. It’s a pretty huge job, this cleaning out the goods and chattels of your parents’ lives and emptying a house. Enormous. And it seems there are several ways

Peepo!

Ah, those faces! No matter the rubbish that’s happening in the world, they smile and the world is a better place. #grandkids #thosefaces  

White fluff or a shared celebration? – a mother’s view of weddings

Monica Dux’s recent article discussing marriage versus weddings hit a chord with many, depicting traditional white weddings  as exercises in doll-like gender roles and wanton excess, but here’s an alternative view from a mother’s perspective. I love weddings. Mine, my daughters’, all the ones I’ve attended. In all their whiteness and fluff, yes, and even expense,