Our Wonderful Freeway!

What is it about our freeway the minute we get some rain?  A few drops of rain and the freeway is a bumper to bumper nightmare, guaranteed.  It took me 1.5 hrs to get to work this morning, Mindarie to South Perth.  The congestion started at Ocean Reef Road and was a continuous stop start.  Thank god for automatic cars, I would have one hell of a left thigh if I had a manual.  Then, as if it were god parting the sea, the traffic suddenly disperses and it flows through again as if there were no prior congestion, I just don't get it!

Whilst I was daydreaming my way through the traffic, I was thinking why hasn't someone invented a car that had a brake and an accelerator button on the steering wheel so you didn't have to lift your leg up and down all of the time.  Even better if we had an automatic button that we could close off the windscreen, type the destination into the GPS and wake up just in time to hear the annoying GPS lady announce our arrival.  I know, wishful thinking but technology is constantly astounding us.  I guess by the time that happens no body will actually go to a specific work place it will all be done remotely.  Can't wait for that day!

The Smell of Summer

The seasons are slowing changing, the days are lasting longer and before you know it the BBQ Season will soon be here.  The winter weather has been sensational and we spent the majority of the weekend lapping up the sun on our balcony drinking champagne and eating cheese.... yum, we even spotted whales out in the ocean.  I can't wait until summer, when you sniff the air and the mouthwatering scent of a bbq sausage floats over the fence. 


Warm sunny days, bronzed (OK maybe not bronzed but at least the ghostly white has faded!) moisturized skin, the scent of coconut cream.  The time to stop hibernating and start socializing again, gone will be the curries and red wine replaced with BBQ's and champagne.

Better start that diet next week, you know the one that you start every spring , for at least a day so my bottom resembles something like the picture above and not like the one below ha ha.

Oh and I had better remember to shave......

What Time is It?

We were having a conversation last night about not being able to last a day without wearing a watch.  I find this so funny, I took my watch off about a month ago and have not worn it since, yes I am always asking my husband "whats the time" but I have never been a stickler for time.  Yes I am always on time for an appointment or if I have to meet friends at a certain time, I will be there ON TIME! 

There is a real contrast between the people ruled by their watch and those that have no real care about time.

My husband for example, if he has plans to do the garden on a Saturday morning, he will wake at 7.00am, no wait 6.55am so he can reiterate his timely ordered plans verbally to me, "up at 7.00am, 7.05 dig out the plants, 7.45 add new soil, 8.00 set out new plants", you get my point.  

My other friend is never ruled by time, yes this can be very very annoying for the friends waiting for her arrival (late again!) as she moseys in without a care in the world oblivious to the fact that she is late.

So I guess my point is, whatever category you belong to, and be honest;

Time Rulers; you need to take your watch off, you can do it, it is not an impossible thought (I have suggested this previously and I have been looked upon with pure horror) and;

Non Time Rulers; put a watch on and stop being bloody late for everything.

For those of us in-betweeners, its not easy being perfect either you know ;)

Bikram Yoga - is it really good for you?

Who out there has tried Bikram Yoga?

It is based on 26 breathing postures done in a 40 degree room, that apparently according to the website, is a holistic workout which will make you laugh, sweat and groan.

Well the sweat and groan bit is right.  The heat is so oppressive that it really knocks you about even before you start any poses, it is so so so hot.  One poor girl was swaying slightly and she crashed down to the floor in a dead faint and that was at the beginning of the class. 

Let me tell you there is no dainty way to sweat, I am not talking mopping your brow or your top lip, I mean sweat like you have never before, running into your eyes type of sweat, by the end of the class your clothes are dripping wet.  If you are planning to look good and pick up, do not go to Bikram Yoga, and ladies a tip, take your makeup off!!  My girlfriend had just come back from bali and she was peeling slightly, well after the class I think half her tan was stripped off.

There most definately was no laughing, you couldn't even drink mid pose as you were told off by the nazi instructor "please respect others"....You are told when to drink and you cannot leave the class you have to sit on your mat and wait it out.

I will try it again, am I a sucker for punishment or is the lure of losing weight too much to give up on?  Maybe if I can concentrate on my breathing and get into a medative state instead of praying that I get through the 90 minutes of pure torture I might, just might begin to enjoy it ....

Namaste everyone!

That 70's Show

We have had some fabulous parties at our home, I think it must be the mirrorball it inspires everyone to get their groooooove on.....  One of the most memorable ones was the 70's party.  Sorry folks you will probably hate me posting these pictures but it just brings me the happiest memories of how much fun you can have with wonderful friends.

Barbara Steisand eat your heart out!

Yeah baby yeah

Porn Star King lol

I can feel a 70's reunion coming on in the not too distant future.....

Up Close and Personal

Whilst visiting Zimbabwe, we had the great chance of getting up close and personal with a Rhino, I was a bit nervous but our guide assured us he was well fed and only interested in getting his daily pellets.  He was being rehabilitated back out into the wild.  Even so, I was waiting from him to charge at any moment.

In the grounds of our hotel there were Warthog roaming around, they truely are very ugly (take a look for yourself).  All the Zimbabweans were telling us they were so nice to eat but who could possible eat such an ugly thing and enjoy it!!

The babies were quite cute though, gorgeous to watch running around like little puppies with the wind up their bum.  Even if they do taste like chicken I am not eating Warthog!!!

My Date with George

Wow!  What a night, just flew in from Lake Como, Italy after my date with George Clooney, yes people I did say George Clooney. 

For all you non believers out there, the truth is below........

George looks a bit sad as I have just told him that I am happily married and it could never work between us!!!

And then..........as I rolled over and woke up, I realised it was Monday!!!  Groan...........

Breakfast in Bed

Breakfast in Bed?  Your either love or you hate it, there is no inbetween.  I personally love my Sunday morning breakfast in bed especially when it is brought to me by my lovely husband who is the best egg cooker in the world.  Yes I am grovelling a bit so when he reads this my breakfasts continue!

Staying in bed allows me to read the paper, eat my breakfast, have a cup of tea and cocoons me a little while longer from the washing or the tidying up.  I get to stay in my PJ's (who doesn't love their PJ's) and lounge around in my own little world for a while longer.

For all you non breakfast in bed lovers out there, so you get the odd bit of crumbs in the bed and your egg might fall on your doona.  I say just brush the crumbs away and hope the cat licks the egg off your doona whilst he is having his 8 hour stint sleeping on your bed.

Never go mud crabbing in white pants

Just a little tip for all you ladies out there, white pants and mud crabbing do not go together.  We were on holiday in Exmouth and not being an outdoorsey kind of gal, had never been mud crabbing.  I was picturing champagne and water so I thought hey, if I get bored I'll just sit in the sun, dangle my feet and drink.  I should have known something was amiss when my friend sniggered at my suggestion.

Off we headed, picnic, dingy and champagne in tow.  We arrived at the spot and I realised that there was no bright blue water but dirty swampland, anyway my spirits were high and we jumped into the dingy and off we went.  1st stop near the mangroves, we all had our booties on except my husband who wore his thongs!!, he was first out of the boat, followed by myself in my rolled up white pants.  My husband tried to walk but his thong was stuck in the mud, after a little tug up it plopped followed by copious amounts of mud that landed all over my white pants grrrrr.  He ended up removing his thongs and squelched through the mud in barefeet, eeeewwww.

I quickly realised that squelshing through mud on a 37 degree day with no shade was not my idea of fun, and then when the toilet was shown to me ....

Thats it I'm Out!

 We headed back to the shade of the trees totally crabless for a yummy prawn roll with a nice glass of bubbly.  The girls decided to stay behind whilst the boys trapsed off again.  We sat under the trees and were swarmed by midgies, after about 40 minutes of constant swatting and 1 spray can later of bushmans we left the shade and set up camp on two deck chairs with the beach umbrella for shade in the water.  It was actually very peaceful watching an eagle fly overhead and the sun starting to set, the water lapping at our legs.  The boys came back with dinner 6 very large mud crabs.

Were they yummy, YES, was it worth it, NO! 

After my well needed shower later that night, my midgie bites were rampant, my whole left arm was covered and the itch OMG!  So I reiterate for all you city folk out there don't go mud crabbing in white pants, believe me they were never quite the same.

Sheep on the Beach!!

Who would believe me?  Sheep on the beach, well in Exmouth there are sheep on the beach, well weird!

There were things left behind that day, but I can assure you it was man made by a dirty teenager, who I gave birth to......

What can I say, He's a Boy!

There's a Life to be Lived!

Where do the hours in the day go?  There are so many things I want to do, start everyday with a walk on the beach, do yoga on a regular basis, not as a Saturday morning once a month chore.  I want to meditate without being interrupted for a lift to McDonalds, I want to take an art class.

My creativity at the moment is flowing so fast I cannot keep up with it, I am urged to paint, draw, write.  Instead I am stuck inside a dull boring unimaginative building for 8 hours a day, then a bumper to bumper drive for 1.5 hours to get home.

As a good friend said to me (she knows who she is) "There is a Life to be Lived Out There!!!!)  I just need to find it, Serenity Now!

This is what I look like after the drive home!

Winning Isn't Everything

Should Sunday soccer create that much stress?  Firstly, when the previous game has finished why oh why do parents not move away from the sidelines so the next group of parents can set up their chairs.  Its a mighty big park people, move away!!  Yesterday's group were intent on remaining standing on the edge of the pitch, chatting whilst their stupid dog was running free barking at me and ended up shoving his rather spit drenched, grass covered ball into my crutch.  Thanks for that dog!


Why does a kids game incite the worst in parents?  Our team lost yesterday, five players down and gracious in defeat, they fought hard and refused to give up.  However, the opposition was rallied on by their coach like a bully on the sidelines.  His kids bragged about the score, argued with the umpire (so did their coach) who by the way was also a kid.  That said kids will be kids but coaches should be regulated, these kids are learning really attrocious behaviour.  The coaches attitude created a very tense atmosphere and I was waiting for the erruption at any moment.  What happened to the old saying "Winning isn't everything, its how you play the game." 

We will have to verse this team again in the finals and hopefully the kids can just get on the field and play the game and fingers crossed win!

That same afternoon I retired to the couch and after channel surfing on fox to my delight I discovered a new foxtel show called Pinapple Dance Studio's, I was enthralled the minute I switched it on.  What a totally hillarious and so very camp show.  Perfect watching to liven up a quiet afternoon, after all everyone needs a little camp in their life!

Is Bali Heaven?

When you are ready to leave this earth and you walk down the road towards those pearly gates .....

What is it that awaits you? 

Well from the mouth of babes its Bali!

My dad passed away around 15 years ago and my gorgeous 4 year old niece saw a picture of him and proclaimed "that's my grandad", I replied "yes it is".  She paused then looked at me very seriously and said "he's gone to Bali hasn't he Aunty Ann".

I quickly realised that she meant heaven but I can just picture my dad lying on a sun lounge by the pool, beer in hand.

Well we all have to go to Bali sometime!

Smiling Friday

Smiling Abbey

I am so lucky to live in Coastal Mindarie, the walk tracks and beaches always make me thankful to live in Australia and not to take it for granted.

Inspiration is just around the corner, take your camera with you where ever you go!

Well Friday drinks are just around the corner so.......

bottoms up everyone!!

Daily Quote for 12 August 2010

"One must from time to time attempt things that are beyond one's capacity" written by Auguste Renoir.

How so very true as without trying to succeed you can never be certain what you are truely capable of.

Auguste Renior, hanging in the Musee De Orsay in Paris