Author: admin

My mum and sisters are shivering in snowbound Scotland just now.  What a contrast to Sydney where it’s steamy and number one on my gratitude list is having a pool.  Splash! My elder sister is called Mairi Stones, she is a felt artist, mum of twins… and photographer of Mother Nature. Aren’t these photos Mairi …

Read more “Snowy Scotland – Nature’s Artwork”

I’ve come over all nostalgic and it’s not like me. These photos from eight  years ago and have made me all warm and gooey. 2003 was a huge year for us. EldestBoy had done his first year at school, there was lots to celebrate there. The biggest gift had been that he made friend – …

Read more “Our Family’s First Trip To Jervis Bay – Family Holiday Nostalgia!”

Oh, thank goodness for that!!! The school and preschool term finished today in NSW and we are all so relieved.  The last two Dad-less weeks have felt very long indeed. Here are a few of the things I am feeling grateful for tonight:

There have been many discussions in the household recently about what we are all going to do when we grow up. First we asked the children and they said: Giant Teenager: roadie for a heavy metal band Able11: going to sell the books he’s writing

Well, it’s been 100 posts, amazingly.  Here are some of my newbie thoughts: 1.  I don’t know any thing about blogging! It’s a bit like life, the more you know about it, the more you know you don’t know.  It’s like an unfolding paper puzzle, with pretty things flying out as you unfold more and …

Read more “100th Post!! The Things I Know About Blogging… Errr… Actually…”

As an author, I really want to write useful books. Helpful books. This week some emails have come into my inbox which have really bowled me over.  In fact, they’ve made me feel all weepy. How professional is that?

On my father’s gravestone, the inscription begins: ‘With love we remember David McDonald Smith Builder, musician and sailor.’ Dad passed away two years ago this week so I have been thinking about him a lot.  And about IT ALL. I’m so grateful that I can say today that he truly is remembered with love.  There …

Read more “The Death of My Dad – Grateful for Peace + Acceptance”

I have two very lovely sisters who both live in Scotland, Mairi and Morag.  No, you don’t get more Scottish names than theirs. Mairi is the eldest sister.  Morag and I agree it’s a marvellous thing to have a big sister; someone to copy and learn from your whole live through, someone to look after …

Read more “A Sister Sets Sail – Sailing Around The Meditteranean With Kids Aboard”

My 11 year old son has stolen my life and much as I can see that he is loving it, I really want it back. It’s the obsessive book reading thing.  Mr11 has been reading Matthew Reilly novels all school holidays and he’s getting through them at a rate of knots. First thing in the …

Read more “Son Steals Mum’s Life, Mum Wants It Back”