When Angels are sent...

...

Two of our lovely graduates with Leonie and me

June 2009: Just two hours earlier, we had received the news that under the restructure we no longer had places in our School. These beautiful young women didn't know that when they came to thank and hug us and have photos together. Truly these Angels were sent at exactly the right time!

Leonie and me (holding Nick - the graduand bear)

Jason is on the poster at the side!

It is times like this that are the best reward for our service in the School that has been our home for 19 years.

But other opportunities were to open...

When others care...

..

A gift from some thoughtful friends
from half-way around the World,
this symbolic Willow Angel has
brought me comfort in the
disappearance and loss of
my two beautiful cats
in just 21 months.

My cats' names:
~Willow and Angel~

Still grieving our beautiful Willow

...

It is 2 months now that our beautiful cat, Willow, has been missing. I can hardly bear that my previous cat, Angel, similar in colour and fluffy fur, also disappeared nearly 2 years ago. Both were sterilised, tatooed, inoculations up to date, and Willow micro-chipped. All our searching and asking has unearthed no clues.

Our heats ache with missing Willow's sweet and playful personality. She was a real lady. She had these cute little paws with tufts of fur sticking out between her toes. I keep wondering, does she live on in someone else's home or ...?

It's been a while...

...
At last I'm back on board and intend posting to this blog regularly again. Change has been taking place, and will continue in just about every area of my life—mostly very good, but not without its challenges. God is good and faithful.

Barry wants me to be clear that I haven't changed him! That is, we've both changed as we've grown, but we're still a team!

Now massive decluttering is taking place. Yeah, it's all mine! Too many life events, too many interests, and working...and people will always be more important to me than housework. Barry says too many books, but you can never have too many good books. Besides, I haven't got the whole set yet...

I have developed my 30:30:30:10 Plan for decluttering:

30% chuck out
30% give away or sell
30% keep
10% can't make up my mind.

Now, to the future...

De-light!

...

This piece of art took took my fancy!

Any idea what it is?

Time Out...

...

..

Thank you for visiting Australian Night Owl.

It has been necessary for me to give time to other priorities for a period, but I intend to be posting regularly by the end of this month.

I have some interesting photos...so please do call back soon!

Business as usual...(don't mind me)!

...
"Hello!" said the voice from the cubicle beside me.

"Hello!" I responded, wishing I had taken more notice of who entered the Ladies Room behind me.

"How are you?" the voice asked.

"Well, thanks," I replied, still trying to recognize the voice of someone who obviously knew me.

"What are you doing?" the disembodied voice enquired!

Now this was a dilemma. Who would want to know what I was doing! This was indeed a most unusual conversation! I didn't want to be rude, but I just may have to enquire about the identity of the mystery friend next door.

Fortunately, I was spared from this as the voice from the cubicle continued as she went about her business whilst conversing on her mobile phone!

Stone the crows! I didn't know her from a bar of soap – and I really didn't need to hear or be enticed into the private conversation she had publicly initiated either!

I retreated as fast as I could!

Good listeners

...
Looking through my party pics, I noticed some wonderful expressions of the rapt attention of good listeners!

Barry, Phil and Robbie

Sharon & Daniel (and Buddy)

Kerrie & Christopher

David, Bev & John

Barry and Gail L.

Naomi and Gail V.

Roma and Helen

Sharon, Alister, Merv & Viv, Roma and Helen

Piet & Robyn, Ken & Julie

Ken, Hans & Robbie

Mary & Geoff and Raymond

Shirley and Viv
[Thank you to Shirley for taking most of these photos]

Bryan, Christopher, me, Daniel and Rina

Raymond, Alister (behind) and Roy
[Raymond has just had a bright idea!]

Me and Phil

[Multi-talented] Phil

Martin [appreciates good tucker]

A Night to Remember

..

A wonderful night —
Surrounded by my family
And faithful friends through time,
Our son and daughter in law hosting in their home,
A balmy evening with a light sea breeze,
Birds flying in formation against a full moon,
Great food, lively conversation,
Memories relived, humour and laughter.
What an abundance I am so thankful for!

The Last Night of My Youth

...

In a few hours I enter a new decade in my life, but I can hardly believe what I did today!

OK, so I'm not coping particularly well with the sudden onset of the first heatwave of the season, particularly the humidity. Nor the itching from the plague of summer insects that love to torture and devour me a mouthful at a time from the toes up!

All day I'd been hopping into a red hot car which had been locked up in shadeless car parks and the amount of lifting and carrying I did today pushed me to my limits. Circumstances contrived to test my patience, culminating in my failing repeatedly to secure a lid on a pith cool box which kept popping off. So what did I do?

I chucked a tantrum – threw a wobbly - had a conniption!

Right there in our driveway! I can't even remember when I last indulged in that immature behaviour! Not since I was a young mother, at least...

Fortunately, Barry arrived home from work at that moment and – wise man – recognised the need for his involvement and action!

A couple of good house bricks did the trick...

Happy Mieow Year!

...

While my owner is rushing around this evening trying to fulfill all the New Year Resolutions she made at the start of 2008, I would like to contribute to your Happy Mieow Year with a useful list from my Cat-ionary:

CAT-IONARY (Author unknown)

Catacomb: Grooming device for Kitty. Good for removing cat-a-mats.

Catapult: What happens when the catacomb gets caught in the cat-a-mats.

Catnip: What Kitty will give you if you "pull" too hard with the catacomb.

Catamount: Any perch in the house, higher than a human's head.

Catcall: Signaling device used to open doors, fill food bowls and receive undivided attention.

Catty-corner: A good place to keep the litter box.

Caterwaul: What sometimes gets hit instead of the litter box.

Catkin: The results of an unaltered cat.

Cat's Cradle: Where Kitty sleeps, such as any bed, sofa, or other warm, comfy spot in the house.

Catwalk: Kitty's daily exercise routine, consists of short trips to the food bowl (with occasional detours to the catty-corner).

Catalog: Useful outdoor scratching post.

Catalyst: Litter, cat food, treats, toys, etc. What humans use to shop for Kitty with.

Catgut: Essential internal part of the cat, requires filling on an hourly basis.

Catsup: Mealtime. It fills the catgut.

Catnap: What cats do when they are not catsupping.

Category: The icky stuff that Kitty leaves on the porch step after eating the outside of a mouse.
Caterpillar: The lady in the white coat who says, "Now swallow the medicine like a good Kitty."

Catalyze: What Kitty tells you when you find the broken vase. "Meow - it was the dog, I swear it!"

Cataract: What the house looks like if you leave Kitty alone for too long.

Catatonic: What humans drink after seeing the house.

Catastrophe: An award Kitty receives for having the most beautiful behind.

Catfish: What Kitty does in your aquarium.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!