WILBUR

I read a blog called Daisies and Bruises:The Art of Living With Depression. Living with depression is certainly an art. Medication takes the edge off my depression and then I try to make my life as positive as possible. When I was first diagnosed with chronic major depression 20 years ago, I didn't tell anyone. I even went to a chemist in another suburb so my local pharmacist didn't know!

As depression has become more talked about and more accepted, I have shared my experiences and especially tried to help those with similar problems. There is hope but you have to work at it. I thank God that I was diagnosed when I was.

It's not all gloom and doom but living a productive, successful life with depression does take work.

Looking at the positives is part of the answer, and enjoying the small moments in life. So I write my blog to share some of these positives and small moments. It helps me focus on the good things in my life.

Often these things may seem trivial but I try to enjoy all the small things. Life has taken a few unexpected turns leaving me not so well off financially as I once was. Being suddenly made redundant meant that my lifestyle has changed quite markedly, although I am eternally grateful for my pension. My life now tends to be made  up of smaller, quieter things. I may be money poor but I am time rich and really enjoying it.

Lovely P:-) cleaned out my gutters for me on the weekend. I live in the trees and my gutters continually fill with leaves, but I love it.

This was the view from my ensuite. It was so pretty I decided to add a few more shots.

I love the view from the back of my house. I love being part of the bush, yet I am right on the edge of the city and 10 minutes from Wollongong CBD.


I have a plain silver wreath that I decorated, sticking with my theme of silver and gold, and hung it on my front door.

P:-) and I went to church and the stage was decorated with mini-lights set in the shapes of Christmas tree. It was very pretty. We sang some carols which really gave the feeling that Christmas is coming.

And lastly.....
I bought myself this little piglet called Wilbur. I just couldn't leave him in the shop.

I called him Wilbur after the pig in Charlotte's Web. I loved that book. My daughter R has the middle name of Fern, after the little girl in the story.

No doubt you will see more of Wilbur in posts to come.


I'll leave you with a lovely Christmas photo.

Interesting sites

1.

 Houses in the trees

Photo source

Architect Peter Bahouth built a series of houses in the trees connected by wooden bridges in Atlanta. Inspired by his love for nature and his childhood memories of boyhood treehouses, environmentalist Peter Bahouth created this grown-up fort in his Atlanta backyard. The three rooms of this treehouse have been named ‘Mind,’ ‘Body’ and ‘Spirit’ by its owner. A suspension bridge connects the living room to the bedroom that includes a platform bed which slides out for a better view of the tree canopy. Click here to see more.


2.

 Lighthouses

Photo source

The lighthouse is a near-universal symbol of safety and guidance that has helped mariners find their way home since ancient times. Although they are gradually outliving their usefulness, they are still epic monuments to human ingenuity and to their own resilience. Click here to see some interesting photos.

3.

Photo source

Here are 10 of the most bizarre shark species. Some of them are downright alien-like (like the frilled shark seen in the photo above), but rest assured — all of these creatures are real and can be found in our oceans! Click here to see more.

CHRISTMAS

 

Habit simplifies our movements, makes them accurate, and diminishes fatigue.

William James

From Christmas Eve to Boxing day P:-) and I were very busy. 

Christmas Eve we went to the 9 pm Carols service at church.

Christmas lunch was with P:-)'s daughter, husband and  3 month old granddaughter in Helensburgh.  

Christmas dinner was at home with my family. 

Boxing Day was spent in Heathcote with all P:-)'s children and grandchildren.

Of course there was much feasting and drinking (non alcoholic drinks) at every meal.

Christmas Eve carols service

My front hall Christmas Day

Miniature tree

Fruit platter

Fruit close up.

Traveling home from lunch on Christmas Day

Christmas lights

Dinner for seven

I love the whole Christmas Season, but it is always good to be able to relax on the day after Boxing Day.


Interesting sites
1.

Click here to check out this beautiful house by the seaside in west Vancouver, Canada.

2.

This is a great plan for a Tiny House on wheels. Click here to view it

3.

Photo source

  Click here to see some beautiful photos of the great Victoria Desert.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful .

Unkown

Over the last couple of weekends, much to P:-)'s "delight" I have been playing my Christmas carols CDs.

Christmas CDs.

I have accumulated these over the years - most of them I have never listened to. A couple of them by Chris Tomlin and Yvonne Kenny, I actually bought at full price. The others were "bargains" I couldn't resist - mostly on line.

I am trying to downsize my stuff. My children don't like Christmas Carol CDs, so I tend just to play the same ones over and over before Christmas day. So I have been listening to them systematically to decide which to get rid of - that is most of them. A lot of them have a terrible same-ishness about them. Some are hardly recognizable as Christmas carols - just generic jazz arrangements I am not fond of.

We tend not to hear a whole CD as when I put one on P:-) suddenly remembers places we have to go and things we have to do

The count down to Christmas is really on now

I have been shopping today. There is still another day until Christmas, but the shoppers were out in force. Suffice to say I finished most of it, but I always like to leave myself an extra day - just in case.

I have thrown a lot of my old and tatty - not old and nice- Christmas decorations out. But I couldn't resist this last little Santa today for $4.95.

Santa Ornament

He looks carved but is made of resin. I had to use the flash to photograph him and it really does detract from his old world look.

Interesting sites

1.

  Click here to see some interesting photos of living off the grid.

2.

  Who says clutter can't be beautiful? Click here to see book storage and decorating after my own heart.

3.

 Click here to read about the most remote settled island in the world.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS ON THE LAWN

A belief is not an idea that you possess. It is an idea that possesses you.

John C Maxwell

Merry Christmas

Christmas carols

On Saturday night P:-) and I went to the Figtree Christmas Community Carols held by Figtree Anglican Church. They were held on a lovely green area at the back of Figtree High school which is immediately next to the church. Rain over the last few weeks had made the football fields lush and green.

Program

It was the first time P:-) had been and the first time I had been for quite a few years when I wasn't a volunteer, so that while I felt a little guilty, I really enjoyed the night.

We arrived around 6pm. People were beginning to fill up the area. All the rides were in full swing and there was a band playing..

Looking towards the stage at 6pm

 

 

 

 

 

Looking towards the stage from our seats

 P:-) was impressed with the size of the speakers either side of the stage and the cranes that held them in the photo above.

The Rural Fire Service played a major part in the organization of the event. They received money from a collection taken up. Children queued to sit in their firetrucks.

Children sitting in the front of a firetruck

The crowds grew until they numbered in the thousands. There was lots of music and then Colin Buchanan came on. The children especially loved him.

Liam Cooper on stage

 The carols began at 8.30pm, arranged and played  by a group called the Motown Crowd and later by Liam Cooper. The music was really fantastic, with the carols given all types of clever arrangements.

At 9.30 the fireworks began.

These were coordinated by the Rural Fire Service, which itself is a bit of an irony.

The only disappointing part of the evening was that the food stalls were limited and all that was really available for dinner were very basic sausage or steak sandwiches and hotdogs. The good thing was that they were very cheap.

All in all it was a great evening. Great weather and great music.

Interesting sites

1.  

 I love this house. It is described as an affordable, prefabricated, low energy house for a young couple with 2 children. I could live in it. Click here to read more.

2.

 
Click here to learn how to make these Lego cogs.

3. 

Atlanta Botanical Garden installation is glowing with LEDs. Click here to read more