Love It

I remember when I was 18 getting the news that my cousin in Slovakia had had a child. I hadn't met my cousin face to face then, but being an only child with two younger cousins in Australia that I saw only rarely it was exciting. I raced down to the toy shop in Kalgoorlie and bought a giant Panda. It took two post bags and a lot of tape to put together, and cost me more to post than I paid for the toy to send it to this little girl born in a far away land. I sent gifts, remembered her birthday, and then 9 years later her brother arrived. I had a son only weeks before, and I could follow this boys progress with my own sons. I received photos regularly from their grandfather, father and uncle, and felt like I was a part of it all. With great excitement I met them when they were quite little, and it was only an afternoon, but so good to see them. We could not communicate well, their English was not good, my Slovak probably worse, but I loved every minute. My next trip ...

Part of this amazing trip has been the unexpected, the unplanned, but the destinations that we have been meant to go to. Mauthausen was one. This is one of the many concentration camps that existed during World War 2. Lots of people, I knoe, have been to Auschwitz, because dare I say it, it is on the tourist run.  We have not done the tourist run. I'm it sure why people go to these places, each has their own reasons. Whether to feel something, to be a bit of a site see-er or because they have a connection. For me, it was the connection, for Mike too.  My Dads big brother spent a long time there. Thankfully  he survived, flourished, and we will spend time with him this trip. I expected the place to feel sad, to almost feel the pain of those who suffered and died there. The atrocities committed there are beyond belief. The suffering, the indignity, the dehumanisation, the sheer brutality. When someone says they are going through hell. I would eish them to go, to see a...

A few of the choice moments of life in a Motorhome for the uninitiated. Privacy. There is none, as a married couple with decades of experience this isn't a huge issue. But!  We sit at the front to drive. We swap regularly, so when I drive, he fiddles, photographs and reprograms the screen on the dash. We lovingly call her Nav Bitch. She yells at us for going to fast, for not turning at the right spots, she's s bitch. But we love her, and we need her. When Mike drives, I sew. I'm working on a new quilt called Posh Psls.  9 x 9" blocks of simple stitchers that will form the basis of a quilt. Keeps me happy and not bored.   Behind the big driving seats is the table, and s seat. This is planning station, work station, dining room, and part wardrobe. Next to that is a single chair. Wardrobe, storage for all manner of bits. Then the door, which is also the rubbish bin, the tea towel holder, and sometimes clothesline. We multi task like a demon. The kitchen is about...

If we go back far enough, I am certain we can meet ourselves. Mike and I have been told before that we have known each other in a former life. Whether you believe in such things or not is rather irrelevant, this is our story, and we firmly believe it. Yesterday just set it in stone. We drove to a tiny village, Gredzice in a farming district outside of Warsaw the home of Stanislaus Kaminski, Mikes great great great grandfather. He left his little village and family to go to England to start a new life way back in the 1870's. His father Andrzej and the rest of the family stayed. When Mike woke yesterday, he had the song "I write your name" going through his head. Not a Taylor .seift fan, but he worked out that there was a reason for it. Well in this tiny town as we drove around, a huge water tank in the back yard of a house with a huge green sign on it. On the sign in huge White letters was written "MICHAL". Do you think someone was expecting him? I'm d...

OK, the song was one night in Moscow, but who's going to argue? Shall we start with one night in Germany? Can't tell you exactly where, as we don't know either. Dubai airport was a bit of  a special place, we ate at the First Class Emirates lounge which was very flash. Then landed in Frankfurt. We were met by Herr Onder who drove us out to Friedberg where we collected our as yet unnamed motor home. Tiny. Cute. Functional.  And I'm very grateful for having lost 63kg as I CAN climb the ladder up to the bed without looking like Greenpeace should be called immediately. First night, Mike drove out about 100km, and we found our first truck stop. Bit daggy, lots of graffiti, loads of trucks, but it was safe, and not at all Wolf Creek German style.  We stopped in Bad Hersfeld and I managrd with some point and shoot shopping method to buy 2 sausages, 2 rolls, and 2 croissants. Along with the CWA style groceries I had packed in my suitcase, we were set. Next day, with each ...

I think if Shakespeare were alive and well in 2014 that would become his classic line. It speaks of all the drama and the heart wrenching decision making process that his other famous line "To Be or Not To Be" once meant to the world. The blocking dilemna on social media has raised all kinds of etiquette, and face to face issues for the millions that use such forms of communication. In the old days it was so simple. You either stopped writing to the person or you kept writing to the person. You may go decades without seeing each other, and sharing a cup of tea. Distance made this such so as much as communication methods. Imagine sitting down to write a letter to a third party about your grievance with the first party. You pen the details, etching your page with acidic words with your nib and ink, even a biro or pencil in the 20th century did the same job. If you were very advanced, you may have even typed the letter. Clunk, Clunk, Clunk, Chink with the Return Bar. All...

Life revolves around us, and sometimes we want to get off. How do I feel about suicide?  I have mixed views. I value human life in all forms and functions and believe that everyone has a role to play and a purpose to fulfill.  Do we have a right to cancel our fare and to bail out on those we love and those who love us?  Everyone has a different view, and many believe it is selfish. I am a Funeral Celebrant. I celebrate funerals, I celebrate lives lost to disease, accident, age and yes suicide. I work with those preparing for the death in palliative care and aged care. Those who want control to the very end.  And to some degree, I believe that suicide is indeed taking control to the very end of that persons journey and life. A medium once said that the souls he sees who have suicided have the deepest regret, and usually didn't intend to actually go through with it. They shocked themselves when they were suddenly on the other side and looking at their families ...