Inaugural R U OK?Day

November 29, 2009

An Australian National campaign titled R U OK?Day will be held on Sunday November 29, 2009.

The aim of R U OK?Day is to bring Australians together to help prevent the isolation that can lead to such outcomes as people taking their own lives.

The inaugural R U OK?Day on Sunday November 29th will inspire Australians to reach out to anyone doing it tough in order to prevent little problems becoming big ones.

Visit the website to learn more.  Share the link with your friends and family.

We have a responsibility to be kind to each other. 

Yet somehow in the craziness of our lives and the agendas we set for ourselves and for others, we often forget that a simple act of kindness can not only have a profound effect on the receiver but also the giver – YOU.

I have always been a big believer in communication.  Empowering another person to move forward in their own life, gives me great energy to tackle my own hurdles.  

So during this holiday season, there is no harm in smiling and saying hello to someone in the street.

There should be pleasure in taking some old boy’s trolley back to the trolley bay so he doesn’t have to do it. 

Smile at the postal workers and give a cheer to the check-out chick…

And on Sunday 29, 2009 – have a conversation with another person…

We are all in this journey together.

Aprons Aprons Aprons

It doesn’t matter if you are a great cook or a not so great cook.  It doesn’t matter if you are cooking the entire dinner or ordering in from Whole Foods or Stop n Shop and it certainly doesn’t matter if your contribution is dessert or the entire banquet…everyone should look great during the holiday season.

These aprons have been beautifully made by the very clever Australian artist, Karenne Crow.  Karenne resides in the beautiful Hunter Valley and created these and many more to sell so that she can cover her addiction to Costco Ribbons and Nashville Wrap cards.

Firetruck Fun

 

French Pastry

Firetruck Fun 2

  

Her use of antique laces and linens, together with lovely crisp and colorful fabrics, ensures each and every one of these aprons are unique.  Many of the antique laces are heirlooms from her Aunts and her own grandmother.

Blue Flowers

  

Pretty Yellow floral

Christmas Time

Vintage Kitchen

 

The aprons debuted at Art Is…You and were greeted with glee by many participants, some of who had pre-ordered with specific colors in mind.

Roses are Red

  

Newly Married

Each Apron is $35 including postage within continental USA.  On the side tool bar, state the apron that you wish to purchase, click to pay via paypal and we will package it up and send it to you in time for you to look smashing!

Frankie would have been 8 this week.

There is always a way. When things look like there is no way, there's a way - to do the impossible. To survive the un-survivable, there is always a way…and you, you and I have this in common, we are inspired. In the face of the impossible, we're inspired. Today, if you become frightened - instead become inspired.

Isaac (Character in Grey's Anatomoy)

Trick or Treat

We had the unique opportunity this year to celebrate Halloween through the eyes, ears, mouth of a three year old!  A week of celebrations at school, including picking his own pumpkin from the special pumpkin patch, closed with the climax of Trick or Treating – a term that Max has come to know and love!

Joined by his sister and her friend, Max dressed as a Yankee which was in keeping with Flossy’s current obsession and of course with the night, seeing as the Yankee’s whipped the Phillies while we were all gathering candy…

 

We headed out and up the street knocking on doors and ringing on bells.  Without missing a beat Max would cry out “Trick or Treat” and to his amazement the person at the front door would give him a treat.  At the first couple of stops, he actually wanted to go inside and visit but slowly he got the hang of the Trick or Treat cry and the subsequent delivery of candy!

 

Returning home, he shared his loot with his father – much to his father’s delight and then proceeded to spend the night answering our own door when the bell rang.  When seeing the children, he would also cry out “Trick or Treat” and to their astonishment, he would then check out the contents of each of their bags and transfer said delights to his own bag!  Fortunately, the children were most understanding and particularly willing once they realized I had plenty of candy to refill what was taken…   

He bounced off the walls until 8pm, then it was into our glow-in-the- dark skeleton pj’s and off to ghostly dreams and sleep.

My Halloween treat followed the next evening with dinner and the viewing of Blaze with my girlfriends and our daughters. 

Pumpkins glowed above us and around us.  There were dinosaurs and ants, bees and fairies.  There were graves and skeletons, ghosts and aliens.  Fish, crabs and boats – sunflowers, faces and celtic art and all were created with pumpkins.

 

There was a glorious orange glow of creativity reflected all around us and like children we oo’d and aah’d over the talent, the time, the planning and the execution of such a phenomenal display.

 

We had a fabulous time and as one of the last to leave, the girls forgot to be cool for a moment and gave in to one mother’s delight.

It would be nice if they could be still like scarecrows for a little longer.  Life is moving so fast and it is in these rare moments that we find joy in each other’s company and the company of our friends.