Hooray, it’s vegetable patch time

Over the Easter long weekend we were drenched by a beautiful autumnal storm which finally signaled the end of summer. Our summer seems to have lasted forever this year (but I say that every year). Just when we thought the weather was starting to cool, we’d get a hot couple of days above 35 degrees,…

A five star hotel for worms

What of earth is a worm hotel, I hear you ask? Well, you may have already heard of a worm farm; which is a container where you can place your kitchen waste in the top and worms ‘process’ the food which results in fabulous liquid fertiliser for the garden. A worm hotel is similar, except…

The Return to Work Blues

I’m about to return to work after eighteen months maternity leave and I’m seriously dreading it. I’ve done it all before mind you, but now with two kids life is about to get more complicated. My eldest is starting school, so there is the school drop off and pick up chaos to deal with, and…

Wildflower Season – spring has finally sprung!

Last Sunday I managed to escape the house and go for a walk in my local reserve to learn about biodiversity in my area and to see the wondrous native flowers in full bloom now that spring has finally sprung! It feels like winter went on forever this year. The bush reserve is only ten…

How do people make it through life without a sister?

Having a sister is a truly wonderful blessing and I often feel sorry for those of you who don’t get to have this special sibling bond in your lives. She knows all my stories and shares my memories. She understands why I sometimes get emotional and she gets my sense of humour, without thinking I’m…

Turning 40 is not the end!

I’ve just turned forty! Yikes!! It’s funny how a big birthday milestone can make you stop and reflect a bit. So please excuse me while I self indulge. Turning forty for me is definitely not the end, in fact it actually feels like the beginning. My life was a little slow in getting started and…

Happy Birthday Dad – grief and the passing of time

My father would have turned 69 today. He unfortunately passed away over one and a half years ago and his loss is still so raw. I miss him every single day. Even now, a song in the car will remind me of him and bring me to tears. I will often see a man who…

Working for the man: the value of paid employment

I’ve been working for money since I was fifteen years old. I’ve done all types of casual, part time and full time jobs. From an unglorified dish pig at the local restaurant, a bar wench and cleaner while at university, through to a statistician, archaeologist and policy adviser (I’ve had a very varied career!). Through…

Delusions of holiday grandeur!

Our family has just returned from our annual beach holiday. A relatively easy road trip down south to a region filled with gorgeous grape vine covered hills, wineries, restaurants and other gourmet food delicacies and sandy empty beaches. It sounds divine doesn’t it? Unfortunately our getaway didn’t quite go according to plan. And in hindsight,…

The simple things in life

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that simple everyday occurrences can bring us the most joy and meaning in our lives. We too often focus on the negative and the seemingly unrelenting tediousness of our existence. Yesterday it rained for the first time in three months. Admittedly it was still warm, humid and sticky, but the…

This ‘tom boy’ is raising a ‘little princess’

This morning as I was getting my three year old ready for day care, she looked at her wardrobe and said, “Mummy, I want to be a princess today”. This phrase translates to, “I want to wear a twirly skirt”. I replied, “It doesn’t matter what you wear, you’ll always be a princess”. Not the…

The Living Dead: the torture of sleep deprivation

Help! I NEED sleep!!! I have an adorable five and a half month old baby girl, who is sweetness and light and all things nice, but…and it’s a big but…she’s not too fond of sleeping for more than two hours in a row at night. This is pretty much a big problem, as I’m not…