Finding joy in the everyday

When my children were growing up, one of the things we enjoyed doing was going on outings - we loved exploring. Not just to the local shopping centre/grocery store for the mundane, but out and about to art galleries, museums, to the park, botanical gardens, theatre/ballet, the zoo and to the coffee shop/cafe.  Some of these were free to visit and therefore an inexpensive outing whilst others were a little more expensive (e.g. when we went to the zoo or ballet). Even from an early age my sons and I often went and had "coffee and cake" together, it was a treat they always enjoyed and still do today.  I think it is important to get out and about and not remain at home all the time - not just for the children, but for yourself as well. Whilst home may feel like a refuge from the world, a safe place to remain from all the nasties - it isn't healthy to remain "at home" all the time.  Children (and mums) do need to get out and interact with others and I don...

Photography by Joluise What a friend we have in Jesus By Joseph Scrivan (1820-1886) What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there. Some days can be really tough and I wonder how I will ever get through them.  Some prob...

*** My elderly mother lives in a nursing home and to get about she needs to use a walker.  Attached to her walker is a bag (see below) that holds everything she needs when she is away from her room. However her current bag is looking a very sad and she asked me to make a replacement (2 bags in fact) when I was visiting her last week.  I could have just copied mum's old bag, but no . . . I decided to set myself another one of those  " sewing challenges " and do something that would push my skills a little!!  At this point I could tell you it all worked out well. But I will be completely honest . . . I made one that worked beautifully (for a beginner) and I made another that was my test and no it wasn't perfect. In fact it is a long way from being perfect which is why there is no photos of bag no. 1 But I learn a lot when I made the first bag so bag no. 2 was much easier - I learnt from my mistakes as we like to tell children!!  Mum wanted so...

I was waiting in line at the supermarket this morning when the gentleman in front of me (who was carrying just one item) suggested I move in front of him (I had six items). I said " no, that's ok, you have only one item ". He replied "n o, you go first, I want to set a good example to my sons ". I thanked him and moved in front.  He said that it was important to demonstrate to his son (who were toddlers) how to treat people and that chivalry wasn't dead.  It was a lovely few moments because rarely does a parent say that sort of thing public and it isn't often that one sees acts of kindness and manners in public any more.  I found the supermarket much busier (and noisier) today as people commence their Christmas purchases. Its this time of the year that you often see the best or the worse in people.  Its also the time when people go a little crazy in their attempt to get everything done before the 25th. Sadly I think you see th...

by P B Hickling Mothers are very busy people; they wash, cook, clean, comfort, teach, shop, garden, sew, play, read, volunteer, work outside the home, love and cry, sing and dance and everything in-between. Todays paintings are all about " Vintage   mothers " - mothers in the past.  Not a grumpy face to be found - advertisers certainly knew how to create the "happy ideal" mother, one who loved her job. I don't say this with sarcasm, the truth is, many mothers didn't live like this at all. This is a very middle-class construct of a world that only some mothers enjoyed. These mothers are beautifully dressed, lived in beautiful houses, full of wonderful new gadgets and had well behaved children (and pets). They all knew how to cook and I doubt these mothers burnt anything in the oven!! I wonder what I will make! And it works every time - she has a lot of things happening in that oven. I have never looked at my glasses to closely! No,...

Mondays to Fridays I eat porridge with a cup of Jasmine tea. Nothing fancy - 1/2 cup rolled oats (I don't use the quick oats) and 3/4 cup of full cream milk. No sugar or honey, not even cinnamon. It keeps me full all the way to lunch time.  I cook the porridge in the microwave so its very very simple but very healthy.  As a child I didn't like porridge very much partly because I ate it so slowly that it when thick and cold and that is the worse way to eat porridge.  My grandfather was a Scotsman and he ate porridge all his life and I think one of my brothers also eats porridge.  On Saturdays and Sundays I eat toast (2 slices) with a cup of Jasmine tea in bed with a book!  At the moment I am enjoying honey on my toast, but sometimes it is one of my homemade jams (strawberry or mixed berry are my favourites).  When my sons were little I would make them pikelets on Sunday mornings.  But now that its just me who like...

Do you wear white clothes? If you are a mum with young children and you say yes, I will think you are very brave.   I love white skirts and in the process of making one (they can be very hard to buy), however even before I have finished I have dirtied the fabric and will need to wash the skirt before I wear it. I own 2 white skirts. Both are summery which I really like as they are very cool to wear on a hot day but they have two problems: 1 . They are a pain to keep clean - I have to be careful when I wear them and where I wear them. 2.   White skirts are often see-through in bright light. Skirt 1 (below) isn't too bad as it is fully lined, however skirt 2 only has lining to my thighs (I bought it online and didn't realise it was quite so bad), not even to my knees. Therefore the only way to wear this skirt is with a long slip and skin tone undies! Needs a bit of an iron I think! Skirt 1 Skirt 2 I think Kate's skirt has been well lined ...