Dolly Parton

I think the world is a sadder place at the moment because of the passing of Dolly Parton.  She truly was one of the most beautiful ladies on the planet. She was amazingly talented with a voice as smooth and sweet as honey. She embodied Christianity, love thy neighbour and spread goodwill. She truly was an angel who has returned home to heaven. Many people, including myself  will remember her fondly and celebrate that such an angelic presence lived amongst us here on earth 🌎.  RIP 🙏🏽 Dolly.

A book i never finished but still think about?

What’s a book you never finished but still think about?

A book that i never finished but still think about is “A State of Siege” by Janet Frame. I was not in a good state mentally when I tried to read this, so I felt fragile about it, because it is very confronting.  Needless to say I never finished it.

Beautiful Day by U2

I have just heard one of my all-time favourite songs on the radio that being Beautiful Day by U2.  It is my all-time favourite U2 🎵 song.  It conjures up so many good memories of times gone by in my life that I will talk about some more.

It reminds me so much of being with James in his vintage car and shopping at antique and opshops . Of having dinners with him.  He was always so kind witty and charming and Beautiful Day brings back all those good times of which I am forever grateful 🙏🏽.

It also reminds me of my early career in mental health where I was lucky enough to go overseas to a huge conference in Hong Kong- the line “See China Right In Front Of You ” floods me with memories of that time,  when life was so amazing and i was becoming known for my work in peer support in mental health.

Beautiful Day takes me back to a time of life that was filled with innocence wisdom friendships and love ❤️

I do have a few significant others that aren’t romantic relationships

How did you meet your significant other?

At first I was not going to write anything about today’s blog topic,  because i don’t have  romantic partner,  but one of my friends convinced me to write about the significance of certain friendships in my life.

My first significant other would be Adrian whom I met back in 1993, when I moved to Macloud to share a house with Robyn a mutual friend.  As soon as I opened the door and met Adrian i had the strong feeling that I was meeting someone who was going to become someone very important to me.  We have been firm friends ever since and have seen one another at our absolute best and worst and always stayed true to our friendship.

The next  significant other would have to be my passed over angel 😇 lady Susanna whom I met at work. Susanna’s impact on my life was all encompassing and amazing and a lot of the lady I now am is because of the example Susanna set. I love her dearly and would not have met Kathryn had I not known Susanna.  Kathryn is another significant other.

Russell definitely is another significant other whom I met through Brunswick Baptist Church and is my most gentlemanly friend. Russell was groomsman at my wedding to my ex husband and through the years a very strong,  very special bond developed. He is my most special friend.

Midnight Oils music

What’s a cultural tradition from your country that you love?

I love the Australian culture of our local music scene . In my younger years I saw Crowded House, Split Enz,  Hunters and Collectors and Weddings Parties Anything so many times.  The culture i wish I had experienced would have been of an age that was old enough to have experienced Midnight Oil live when they were doing the pub and surf club gigs. I feel left out as I really loved Midnight Oils music and knew that seeing them live would have been a powerful all encompassing experience.   I loved that Midnight Oil were a passionate band that stayed loyal to the 🎵 songs they wrote about nuclear disarmament,  the environment and indigenous issues. They spoke about uncomfortable truths and become part of the Australian vernacular.  I must admit a big part of my attraction to Midnight Oil was definitely perving on Rob Hirst. Unfortunately seeing Midnight Oil was something that will be missing from my bucket list. RIP Rob Hirst you humble 🙏🏽 amazing legend.

Sometimes it is better to come from a broken home than to live in one.

The title of today’s blog post is a direct quote i said to my friend Adrian this morning when we were discussing friends,  family and life in general.  Adrian asked if he could quote me on that because he knew some people that could apply to.

I think of my friend whose married life where her and her children were experiencing a total train wreck of a life because she lacked the emotional intelligence to get her shit together and move her children from that nightmare all because she didn’t want her kids to come from a broken home. The fact that the entire family were living a nightmare never occurred to her, and she was probably the weakest unemotionally intelligent woman i ever knew. Susanna tried to give this lady support until she realised exactly how screwed up this person was.

In the end both Susanna and myself had to walk away from this family when caring for someone with a complete lack of emotional intelligence became bad for the mental health of Susanna and myself.  People these days don’t have to stay in relationships that are dangerously unhealthy and I understand totally that some people feel unable to leave, thinking staying is the easier option than leaving. A lot of women wake up one day and realise they don’t want the rest of their life to be monotonously unhappy and that is probably the best move to make for the family’s sake because yes sometimes it is better to come from a broken home than to live in one and some of the strongest ladies  i have met are those who put their bad marital circumstances behind them and started a new life with their children’s well-being as their priority.

Meeting Lily for the first time

If you could relive one day from your past, which day would it be and why?

If I could live one day of my life over and over again it would be seeing Lily for the first time when she was just a tiny puppy.  It was one of the happiest days of my life and I would love that feeling of growing love again.

The day i certainly would not want to live again would be my wedding day.  Had I known what that would ultimately mean for my life I would never have married my ex husband.

A Dogs Journey

What’s the last movie that made you cry?

The last movie that made me cry was a movie I saw many years ago with Susanna.  That movie was A Dogs Journey and it is the sequel to A Dogs Purpose.   As with all dog movies it is beautiful with moments of pure joy and pure sadness. Susanna was battling cancer at the time and part of the storyline was that Dogs can be taught to detect cancer in humans and can know how to let the medical practitioners know what they sense. Susanna and I bawled our eyes 👀 out at this and it was particularly difficult for Susanna because of her cancer battle and the fact that months earlier her own dog had passed over.   It is an amazing movie that I think every dog lover should she, but definitely with a box of tissues at hand.

Terrorism attacks including the 9/11 attacks

If you could erase one event from history, what would it be?

If I could erase something from history it would be the prevalence of terrorism in our modern society,  including the 9/11 bombing attacks. I pray 🙏🏽 🤲 for world 🌎 peace and an end to religion becoming something that is divisive and causes wars and violence . I pray 🙏🏽 f or peace in the middle east and the beginning of a new world 🌎 where paece is enshrined and an end to man’s inhumanity to man.