Last week was a busy week for me, lots going on at work, socially and home life.
As well as growing older and celebrating a birthday, it was a week of reflection as well.
5 years ago last week, we lost my Pop. He died unexpectedly and suddenly. One minute he was here and the next he wasn’t.
We had just sat down for dinner when Mum received the phone call from Nan. Still to this day, that phone call and what happened after still haunts me. In an instant, our lives had been shaken and turned upside down.
Earlier that afternoon, I had been at Nan & Pop’s cutting their hair and having afternoon tea. I remember Pop being as cheeky as ever and trying to sneak in a glass of wine before dinner, and giving Nan cheek saying “I’m an old man and I deserve a wine or two”.
That was my last memory of him; a few short hours later, he was gone. There were no chances to say goodbye.
When thinking back over the 5 years since Pop’s been gone, there’s been many highs and lows. There’s been struggles, joy, tribulations, celebrations and loss. Life has happened! Time doesn’t stop, it continues and life goes on.
From Pop’s passing, I have learnt to appreciate and look at the smaller moments in life. That last memory I have of Pop, at the time seemed like a small moment. It’s now a precious memory that I often think back on and smile about.
I now realise those small moments are what make up your life. When you are so busy those small, precious moments can often pass you by.
Small moments for me are ones that usually would go unnoticed and you wouldn’t think twice about. They are moments that make me smile.
a hug from my husband
a smile from a stranger
enjoying a great cup of coffee
hearing a favourite song at the right time
stillness that comes with rain
quiet peaceful moments
a beautiful sunrise or sunset
a long conversation with my best friend
lighting candles and the way the light flickers
a gesture of kindness
family dinners
a walk on the beach with my husband and dog
laughing at nothing with my sister
when you stop and realise how perfect a moment is
I’ve also come to realise that you don’t know how long you will have with someone. You need to make each moment count. Don’t spend your time holding grudges, fighting, being negative and holding onto regrets. Because in the bigger picture of life, what does it matter? If you hold onto those things, that’s all you will be left with and you will miss out on life and the precious small moments that make it up.
Life is a gift, each day is a gift, family and friends are gifts. Don’t waste them or take them for granted. Appreciate and cherish them.
I hope you all have a great weekend, enjoy the time with family and friends. Remember to stop and appreciate the smaller moments.
The weather here was pretty dismal over the weekend. Our renovations came to a standstill as we are up to excavating and laying the concrete slab for the foundations. But the weather wasn’t in our favour.
Sunday saw celebrations at my sister in-law’s baby shower, which was lovely. Was nice to catch up with all the family and girlfriends. Can't believe our little niece or nephew will be here in around 4 weeks time. I can't wait to be an Aunty!
I whipped up some slices which seemed to be a hit. I’ve had lots of people ask for the recipe for my rocky road slice, so I thought I would share it.
ROCKY ROAD SLICE
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
250g packet marshmallows
1 tablespoon milk
2 x 180g blocks milk chocolate, chopped
40g butter, chopped
200g packet dry-roasted almonds ( But I used unsalted peanuts)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
100g packet red glace cherries, halved
Chocolate base
250g packet plain chocolate biscuits, halved
125g butter, melted
Step 1
Grease a 4.5cm-deep, 20cm (base) square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang on all sides.
Step 2
Make base Process biscuits until finely chopped. Add butter. Process until combined. Press mixture over base of prepared pan. Cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place boiling water in a heatproof jug. Sprinkle over gelatine. Using a fork, stir to dissolve. Set aside. Place marshmallows and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until marshmallows have melted and mixture combined. Transfer to an electric mixer. Gradually beat gelatine mixture into marshmallow mixture. Working quickly, spread mixture over prepared base. Cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until marshmallow has set.
Step 4
Place chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Add almonds, coconut and cherries. Mix to combine. Spoon over marshmallow, pressing with the back of spoon to level. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
Step 5
Cut into squares. Serve.
ENJOY!!!
Recipe from Super Food Ideas - December 2010 , Page 77
Recipe by Kim Coverdale
Photography by Sam McAdam
I am loving the fact that winter is here, aside from Autumn is one of my favourite seasons.
I’m a winter baby, born in June. I like the feel of the cold and freshness. I love taking a deep breath of fresh cold air. There is nothing better than snuggling up under a warm blanket with a cuppa and a good book during those cold winter days. I adore the fashion, rugging up in jackets and scalves. And of course the food, it's so wholesome and hearty.
This post is being written from my sick bed, it’s now day 6 of bed rest and quarantine. Needless to say I am going a lil stir crazy. Over the past few days I have been pretty sick, in pain and feeling sorry for myself, I just want to feel better and get back to normal.
But as miserable and as sick as I’ve been, I know I am going to get better in the coming days, I just have to ride it out. While on that note, it got me thinking about a speaker I had heard recently at the annual Shoalhaven Women’s Conference held in my local area.
Every year, Council sponsors a table at the event and ladies within the organisation are nominated to attend. This year I was one of those lucky women. It was a great day and there were many remarkable key speakers. The highlight for me, was hearing from Turia Pitt.
Turia Pitt - before the fire and after
For those of you who may not be familiar with Turia’s story, Turia is a former model, originally from Ulladulla (NSW South Coast of Australia). After her completing studies, Turia moved to Western Australia to become a Mining Engineer at the Argyle Diamond Mine. As a dedicated runner, it was always a dream of Turia’s to compete in the “Racing the Planet’s Kimberley Ultramarathon” (a marathon race in outback Australia) and was given the opportunity to enter. However due to the high entry free, she originally decided not to enter. But two weeks before the marathon, she was invited by organisers to compete for free.
During the race, a wild fire swept through a rocky gorge and despite trying to escape, Turia became trapped. Turia and several other competitors were seriously injured and suffered burns covering more than 60 per cent of their bodies while running in the 100km race in WA.
This was Turia’s recount of the race during her speech at the Women’s Conference:
"I remember running, looking down at the ground and being exhausted. Hearing what I thought were trucks on a highway. I remember looking out and being face to face with a wall of flames, I remember the split second decision I had to make. Do I run up the hill, knowing that fires go faster uphill? Do I stay on the valley floor knowing the shoulder high grass will be perfect fuel for the fire? In the end, I chose the hill and started running. I had already run about 30k’s that day and the heat and noise of the fire was adding to the stress of my body. In the end I was just too exhausted to keep running."
“I thought I was going to die and all I thought about was Michael and the life we were going to have with each other. I felt cheated and robbed. I suppose I felt a bit confused as well, after all this wasn’t supposed to happen to me. I was Turia Pitt. Tough as nails.”
“After the fire had past, I must have gone into shock, because people have asked me if I was in excruciating pain and I don’t really remember that. All I remember is the waiting and waiting for 4 long hours, and the Kimberly sun burning my already my burnt skin.
“The helicopter got there just on dark and I had to walk to the chopper, as they couldn’t get a stretcher to me.”
“The doctor’s at Kununurra Hospital put me in an induced coma and I woke up a month later in Concord Hospital.”
The race and fire were inSeptember 2011. Flash forward to May 2013. The lady who stepped on stage to give this speech was incredible; I was completely humbled by her. Turia had such an aura about her, she was positive and full of life, even after everything she had been through.
Turia’s speech inspired me. Throughout her speech, her motto was “never give up”. It reminded me of the fact, that when life deals you a blow, you have 2 choices. You can either choose to let it define you and wear it as a chip on your shoulder. Or like Turia, it can be used to grow from and learn, while giving you the determination to keep pushing forward and to never give up.
Not once during her speech was Turia negative, angry or spiteful. She was full of a positive outlook on life. There were many times Turia could have given up, but in her words “"I could've thrown in the towel, but I didn't, I accepted my appearance and told myself I'd be beautiful again and I focused on the things I could do. I'd push myself further, and now I can run steadily, take three stairs at a time and swim half a kilometre in the pool, but I'm not giving up there."
Turia is an incredible woman and such an inspiration with her never give up attitude. I look forward to watching her story and seeing all she will achieve on her road to recovery.
For more on Turia’s speech at the Shoalhaven Women’s Conference, I’ve included an article from the South Coast Register below. Enjoy the read.
Till next time,
Sarah x
Turia Pitt inspires with her courage
By Kathy Sharpe
·
NOT GIVING UP: Burns victim Turia Pitt from Ulladulla and her partner Michael Hoskins. Photo: Karisa McCauley
CLOTHED in a compression burns suit, the young Ulladulla woman who had contemplated death amid a wall of flames spoke bravely of the day her life nearly ended in a Kimberley grass fire.
What Turia Pitt said prompted tears and a standing ovation from the 300-strong audience at the Shoalhaven Women's Conference last Thursday.
The admiration was as much for what she didn't say - there was no self-pity or bitterness or blame about the incident that changed the course of her young life so dramatically.
There was only hope, and a clear determination to "never, never give up".
"I stared death in the eye and came out on top," said Turia, who had flown in the day before from a clinic in France where she has been receiving treatment for her burns.
"I should be dead. I should be six feet under," she told the conference.
"What was it that made me survive? It's my 'never give up' attitude."
Turia's determination had already served her well prior to September 2011.
After leaving school at Ulladulla, she had initially struggled at university, but through hard work went on to become a Rio Tinto scholar and graduated with first class honours.
By the time she took up a position as a mining engineer at the Argyle Diamond Mine in WA, life was seemingly perfect.
"I was beautiful, intelligent, had a great boyfriend, great friends - and I was earning good money," she said.
A keen runner, Turia had already decided not to take part in the Kimberley Ultramarathon due to the high entrance fee.
But two weeks before the race, she received an email inviting her to take part, for free.
"I said 'bloody oath!'"
She recalled how excited she was the morning of the race, unaware that by 1pm that day she would be engulfed in a raging grass fire that would leave her and several other runners badly injured.
"My memory of the event is a little patchy. I remember running and looking down at the ground and being exhausted.
"I remember hearing what I thought was the sound of trucks on the highway.
"I remember looking up and being face to face with a wall of flames."
She had to make a split second decision, whether to run up the hill or to stay on the valley floor where there was more fuel to burn.
"I chose the hill and started running. I had already run 30 killometres that day and the heat and stress of the fire was too much for my body. In the end I was too exhausted.
"To all of you who think you can outrun a fire, you can't.
"All I thought about was Michael and the love we were going to have together. I felt robbed. I thought I was going to die."
After the fire passed she was left "waiting for hours and the Kimberley sun was burning my already burnt skin".
Finally rescued by helicopter Turia was flown to hospital where she was put into an induced coma.
She had suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body.
"In hospital it took me a while to come to terms with what had happened to me. I was a vivacious and independent woman and now I was reliant on the people around me," she said.
"I've had to claw my way back into life - learn to walk, to talk - all the things I had taken for granted before became seemingly impossible tasks."
But she didn't give up.
"Each day I was hospitalised I pushed myself a little bit further. I patted myself on the back when I could walk five metres.
"I accepted my appearance and told myself that one day I would be beautiful again. I focused on the things I could do, not on the things I couldn't do."
To date Turia has had more than 20 surgeries and expects to continue treatment for the rest of her life.
"There is a lot more hope for burns survivors," she said.
"I put up with the operations to get a better result."
In the meantime, Turia is continuing her studies and planning her future with Michael, a future which she knows will include one day running another ultramarathon and returning to surfing.
"Getting angry and resenting other people doesn't make me any better, it doesn't make me heal any quicker, it doesn't make me run any faster or swim any further.
"You can get upset for a little while but you can't carry hurt around with you every day.
"I think of all the things I want to do. I won't do them next year, I might not do them in the next five years, but I will do them.
"Life can deal you some rough cards at times but it's how you play with them that's important."
In the audience on Thursday was Turia's partner Michael Hoskins and her mother Celestine who had travelled from Ulladulla to surprise her.
Michael said Turia could have stayed on in France for more treatment, but wanted to come home because she had committed to speaking at the conference.
For the support and generosity shown to her by the people of the Shoalhaven, Turia said she and Michael were "so, so grateful".
"The Shoalhaven community has been bloody brilliant with supporting me," Turia said.
"It's the best thing in the world to know your community is behind you. Please know that I will never give up."
I ran into a friend from the past the other day, who I haven’t seen in years.
It was a Sunday morning, she hadn’t been to bed yet and the aroma of a big night was still fresh on her. I laughed to myself, she hadn’t changed a bit and I loved her for it. But I had. Come 8 to 9 years ago, that would have been me with her. I’m sure some of my Mum’s grey hairs can be attributed to when I use to hang out with this friend (sorry Mum).
Here she was, a gyspy who had moved around and travelled and seen the world, unattached and still partied like back when we were 18.
Here I was, settled, married, with a mortgage and renovating our house, and in a stable job.
My friend couldn’t believe how much I’d changed and kept asking me how I had got all my S@#& together. My answer? I grew up I guess.
When looking back now, I can hardly believe how far I have come. Gone are the Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights out and looking forward to partying; and here are the Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights that are a lot more tame, where I get excited if we don’t have anything on and I can chill out in my PJ’s.
My friend and I had some great times together, lots of fun and adventures. I still laugh and also shake my head when I think about some of them. Sometimes I do miss those days.
But, as fun and carefree as those days were, I wouldn’t change where I am at for the world. I’ve come so far and already achieved so much. I am married to a wonderful man, who I adore. We have brought our first house and are renovating it to make it our dream home, I am in a great job and have a great career, I’ve travelled , I am settled, happy, fulfilled, in love, stable, achieving my goals, I’ve matured and gained perspective.
What more could I ask for? I love my life and am so grateful for all its blessings.
If the past 9 years have been this amazing, I can’t wait to see what the coming years will bring. As they say, the best is yet to come.
It’s been a while! Life seemed to have gotten in the way & forced me to take a break from my blogging. Things have been hectic! We have FINALLY started renovating our house, while that is challenging and exciting, it’s also tiring, draining and time consuming, so I haven’t had a lot of spare time for writing or blogging.
Rather than me writing about everything I have been up to lately, I thought I would share some photos.......
I have been working on some new material for my Blog, more of that to come soon. You may alos notice that I have given the Blog a facelift.
Anyway, for now I just wanted to stop bye to say hi and I’m back!
Also, a little shout out here - thanks to Jodie Sproule for the Facebook message asking after my Blog. It was the encouragement I needed to get back to blogging. Was nice to hear people are actually reading my stuff and liking it!
Apologies for my absence of late. I have been working on various projects, both at work and in my personal life. Which has left me with not much in the tank; both physically and mentally. So unfortunately, my Blog has been poorly neglected.
Yesterday I attended a conference for work at Customs House in Circular Quay, Sydney. The conference was called LiveWire and it is Local Government professionals who come together to build leadership capacity, gain valuable skills, learn how to influence positive change and network with others.
LiveWire 2012
The conference was a great day and I am still on a high and feeling invigorated.
Partly due to the conference itself and what I got out of it; but also because I stepped out of my comfort zone and challenged myself, it’s a great feeling and I am proud of myself.
I absolutely loved heading to Sydney for the conference. At first I was a little nervous heading off to the big smoke. My sense of direction is hopeless and so I tend to get lost from time to time. I don’t own a GPS because I have a husband who is a walking GPS, so I normally don't need one. But lucky for me, a co-worker was heading to the conference with me and he was pretty city-savvy.
Sydney is an amazing city filled with life! I loved experiencing life if the fast corporate lane, even if only for 24 hours.
View from my hotel room
Customs House is an incredible place, so rich in history. It was initially constructed in 1844-1845 and served as headquarters of the Customs Service until 1900. Nowadays Customs House is a venue for events and private exhibitions and is also the home to the City of Sydney Library.
Customs House
Convict David O’Connor, from the First Fleet, was hanged on site in 1790 and it is rumoured that his ghost still haunts Customs House wandering around, offering people rum. I was on the lookout for him, but can’t say I saw him.
So long story short, just dropping by to let you all know I haven't disappeared but I am working on a new post for my blog, which I hope to have up this weekend. Hoping to share some of what I learnt from the motivational speakers at the conference.
Words are the most powerful form of communication we have. They provoke so many emotions in us - love, hate, anger, joy, confusion, sadness, happiness, lust. The list goes on. Words can be used to build people up, to encourage and praise. Or can be used to bring people down and to be destructive.
It’s amazing the power they have over us.
As human beings we are vulnerable creatures. Words might not be able to break bones, but they can be just as damaging and can leave scars of their own.
Always remember - Once words are said, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.
In today’s modern tech-savvy age, social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter are a great way of communicating, providing they are used properly and not abused. However, they can promote a false sense of confidence resulting in people being vindictive without fear of the consequences of their words, as they have something to hide behind.
For me personally, I follow the rule if I wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, then I don’t say it on social media like Facebook or Twitter, regardless of whether I know the person or not.
There have been a few incidents over the last little while that has lead me to write this post. Peoples' words and actions have been spiteful or thoughtless, usually it has upset me and gotten me down.
Usually! But not anymore. I am not going to give their words the power to hurt me. I am making a conscious decision to be the bigger person in those situations and rise above it. Along with also choosing not to let their spite and negativity bring me down.
I actually feel sorry for them, that they think it is ok to act like that, to be so petty and childish. They are not very flattering qualities in a person, but then again, some people’s true colours aren’t very flattering.
Remember, what you say reflects who you are. Be mindful of your words; the effects they will have, or how someone will take them. Never underestimate the effect your words can have on others, so be careful with them and use them wisely.
Do not let others treat you poorly or bring you down with their words, for any reason at all. I know I don’t deserve to be treated that way, so these days I don’t put up with it. It’s as easy as that. If you let someone treat and speak to you poorly and don’t remove yourself from them, you are sending a message that behaviour is ok.
I’m not saying I am perfect in all of this, my record is definitely not clean. But I am learning from those mistakes and from the words I wish I hadn’t said and could take back. I am learning and trying to not let my words and actions be destructive to others.
Think to a time when you have received praise or a compliment. How did it make you feel? Was it all warm fuzzy? Did your confidence sky rocket? Did it put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step?
Now think of a time when someone has said something nasty. How embarrassed and hurt did it make you feel? Did that one comment make all of your self-doubt and insecurities come bubbling to the surface?
Which of those would you rather experience?
How much better is the feeling of knowing you’ve made someone’s day? That you have either motivated, inspired or encouraged them? It’s much nicer to know the words you have spoken have brought meaning to someone and boosted their self-esteem and confidence. I know I would rather have that feeling, then knowing I have hurt someone and done damage with my words.
Keep that in mind the next time you go to say something you shouldn’t. Like many of our mothers have said a thousand times – “if you haven’t got anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all!”
I personally believe when you think about someone, or think of something nice about them, you should let that person know. Send them a message, call them or send an email, whatever. Just let them know. Because what is the point of thinking it if you don’t let them know? That person may be in need of a hearing it.
So today I leave you with these final words:
Today will never come again.
Be a blessing. Be a friend.
Encourage someone.
Take time to care. Let your words heal, and not wound.
Today you have been given the greatest gift of all.....LIFE!
