A Life on Venus

You're never too young to get Bowel Cancer!

2018-09-04T13:26:00.001+10:00

Did you know that bowel cancer is the second deadliest cancer in Australia! What the actual fuck! Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world; 1 in 13 Australians will develop the disease in their lifetime. 70% of people affected have no family history of the disease and no hereditary contribution.

The risk of developing bowel cancer rises sharply and progressively from the age of 50, but the number of Australians under 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer has been increasing steadily. That's why it is so important to know the symptoms of bowel cancer and have them checked out if they persist for more than two weeks.

Almost 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully when detected early.

Please check out the symptoms here - https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/what-is-bowel-cancer#Whatsrethesymptoms

This gorgeous lady is Alison, she teaches my kids singing and piano. When I first met her I thought she was a wonderful human being; still do. Sadly, she has had bowel cancer. Thankfully, she is still here....this is her story.

Hey Alison, tell us a bit about yourself?

I always find this question tricky, but my simple answer is; Hi, I’m Alison, I’m 27 and live in Sydney. I grew up in Canberra and moved to Sydney 6 years ago to study Musical Theatre.

Now I’m completing my Masters in Primary Teaching and work as a Music Teacher and children’s entertainer. Then people normally start asking questions and it’s not long before it heads into murky territory.

A normal conversation usually goes a little like this:
“What year are you in at uni?”
“Well I’m part time, I started full time then had to switch to part time for health reasons, so still got another year to go”
“Oh, that’s good. Do you still perform much?"
“Not at the moment, still just trying to manage my health and keep up with work and uni”
“So you’re still sick, but you look great”
“well….”

And this is the point when I tell the full story. The up and down health battle of life with and after cancer.

When and how were you diagnosed with bowel cancer?

I was diagnosed with a Nuero Endocrine Carcinoid tumour when I was 25.

I still remember the day pretty clearly even though I was in complete shock at the time, but I’ll get back to that.

I’ve always had issues with my health. Throughout my teens I struggled with migraines and chronic fatigue syndrome, and then developed your typical food intolerances and IBS issues that no one could work out. So I switched to a gluten free, low fodmap diet, which seemed to work for a while.

Then 2015 happened. A year of major ups and downs health wise, I was constantly sick with repeated infections and viruses, had major migraine attacks and ended up in hospital, but no one could really figure out what was going on.

Towards the end of the year two new doctors came into the picture, a gynaecologist and an integrative doctor, and if I hadn’t found these two wonderful women, I probably wouldn’t be here now.

In January 2016, I had an exploratory laparoscopy where my gynaecologist was looking for Endometriosis, which she found, but she also noticed my appendix looked a bit odd. She showed the pictures to the surgeon in the next operating theatre who said it looked as though I’d had appendicitis, and my appendix should come out.

It wasn’t urgent, so I got through semester 1 of my master degree, and then had it removed, because what else does one do in their uni break but have their appendix removed. The operation went fine, I went back to Canberra so Mum could look after me as I recovered, headed back to Sydney 2 weeks later and went to my follow up appointment.

I went to that appointment feeling pretty good expecting to hear the operation went well and everything was fine, instead I heard the words “another operation…tumor…urgent scan…” and everything went a little blank. I didn’t even register that he’d said the word carcinoid (i.e cancer) until much later.

I left the appointment in shock and rang my mum, and I haven’t been to a specialist appointment alone since.

What was the treatment like?

Two weeks after my diagnosis, I had a major operation, where they cut out half my large intestine, part of my small intestine, and all the lymph nodes and glands in the area.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that the particular tumour I had can only be removed through surgery. It doesn’t respond to chemo or radiation therapy, so it needs to be caught early enough and before it metastasizes, so it can be cut out.

I was extremely lucky! Also what we didn’t know at the time was the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, which were thankfully all cut out, but my surgeon said I had more chance of winning the lottery than of the tumour being found in time….

How were your emotions as you went through this?

My emotions, well it was a roller coaster, still is really. I think the best part was not realizing the severity of it all until it was over. I didn’t realise it was bowel cancer until a lovely nurse in the hospital said they’d never seen someone so young with bowel cancer before, and then the penny dropped.

After that I looked up the statistics and realised how lucky I was! But it was a very scary and emotional time. Thankfully I have an amazing support network who kept me going, but I wouldn’t have gotten through it all without my mum. She was there every day I was in hospital and comes to all the major appointments with me now, just in case.

How are you now?

I’m still not great, and almost two years on I guess I thought I’d be feeling a lot better by now, but doctors tell me it’s all pretty normal. I still have severe gut issues which isn’t all that surprising seeing as I’ve lost half of it, I still get pretty run down and exhausted some times, my hair is still falling out, and I spend a lot of money on vitamins and medications which I’ll be on for the rest of my life.

The appointments, tests and managing medications gets pretty exhausting sometimes. I’ve had 2 operations already this year to remove polyps and cysts, and I’ll continue to have a colonoscopy every year for the next ten years and a scan every 12 months to monitor everything.

I’m on a gluten free, dairy free, low fodmap diet, and some days are good and some days are really bad. My motto has always been keep calm and carry on, but some days it’s really hard.

What would you tell people about bowel cancer?

My main advice is to know your body and if something doesn’t feel right don’t stop searching for answers until you’re satisfied. If I’d just accepted IBS or gluten intolerance as a diagnosis I wouldn’t be here right now.

Trust your instincts, you know your body better than anyone! But also don’t forget Bowel Cancer or any cancer isn’t just an old persons disease, anyone can get it!

Anything else?

Only that if anyone is going through something similar or wants more information go to the Bowel Cancer Australia website, they have a great team of nurses and a great peer-to-peer support network who regularly check in with me to see how I’m going.

I’m also happy to talk to people about my journey because the more everyone knows and understands, the better chance we have of detecting cancer early and saving lives.

Oh and also- If you’re over 50 and get sent the Bowel Cancer screening kit- please do it, it could save your life!

Do you talk about your bowels?

Have you known someone with bowel cancer?

My Gut Journey....Part 1

2017-11-14T15:25:00.000+11:00

After explaining my "why" I am well and truly on the good gut journey now and it will be a long one. My next appointment for a check-up isn't until January, so for the next two and bit months I am doing the following....

Quitting Sugar

I have switched out the gluten free snacks and cereals that I used to buy at the supermarket which are full to the brim with sugar and replaced them with sugar-free home-made snacks. My current snack favourites are Raspberry Ripe Bites.

Instead of cereal for breakfast I am having a piece of toast with avocado, egg and some smoked salmon or a Chia Pudding (seriously addicted).

Probiotics etc

Even with all the gut issues that I have had I have never taken a probiotic - I know, bad right! No wonder my guts are miserable. Dr Lee also has me taking antibiotics to get rid of the Streptococcus on a week on, week off situation with the probiotic over 4 weeks (e.g. wk 1 probiotic, wk 2 antibiotic, wk 3 probiotic, wk 4 and onwards probiotic).

The probiotic contains Lactobacillus Acidophilus Bifidobacterium Bifidum, Streptococcus Thermophilus - all such long, unpronounceable words.

She also prescribed Mutaflor, which is another probiotic that comprises a viable non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli (E.coli). It was first isolated in 1917 from the faeces of a soldier during the First World War who did not suffer dysentery or any other intestinal diseases (gross, yet also extremely fascinating).

In the morning I take Digestaid before I eat to aid my digestion and assist in maintaining healthy digestive function.

At night I also drink a glass of CytoPro Repair which is a combination of herbal extracts and nutrients with high dose Glutamine to support the structural integrity and function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Kombucha

I have started drinking Kombucha and really really like it! I mean I love cups of tea so why I thought I wouldn't like Kombucha I just don't know. Kombucha is known to have gut healing properties - well let's hope so.

Bone Broth

Dr Lee suggested I drink Bone Broth, I thought why the hell not! At this stage I am willing to give anything a big fat go. Apparently it is very good for gut healing - watch this space.

Gelatin Gummies

This one has been prescribed by Sarah Wilson, she's close to a Dr, isn't she??

Anyhoo, I am going to make some gelatin gummies, which have 18 amino acids and will also assist in reducing the inflammation in my gut.

Yoghurt

Gotta eat more yoghurt. I recently discovered Coconut Yoghurt and I love it! I am also using Jalna BioDynamic Organic Yoghurt whenever and wherever I can.

Do you have any gut loving foods that you eat?

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My Gut Journey....The Why?

2017-11-09T18:58:00.000+11:00

Just in case you are interested, here is the why to my gut journey. (P.S. That is not my gut in the picture.)

I have suffered depression, anxiety, stomach issues and headaches since my late teens, mixed in with my PCOS and severe gluten intolerance - I am about to tick over to 41 years old, suffice to say it has been a while.

I have been through many a doctors waiting room and thumbed through many an out-of-date trashy magazine - GPs, psychiatrist (I love her!), neurologist, headache specialist, gynaecologist, endocrinologist, naturopath, osteopath, chiropractor, physiotherapist, gastroenterologist, etc etc, I am sure you get the picture.

Sometimes I feel a bit better but always tip off the "feel good wagon" onto the "shit ship". The main takeaway from all this time is being sent on my merry way with band-aid solutions - take this pill for that or that pill for this. One doctor even told me that headaches were just going to be part of my life - thanks arsehat.

Now I am just exhausted and well and truly over it and as my wonderful psychiatrist said, "you need to get your shit together". She sent me for some blood tests and a Bioscreen poop test (delightful I know, but oh so fascinating!). The blood results actually weren't that bad - which left us perplexed and a little disappointed, we had hoped they would show something outstanding and give us the answers to all the questions.

The Bioscreen test on the other hand, totally different story. It was BAD, which was good. This was more than likely the answer to all the questions....well at least some of them.

What does the Bioscreen test actually test for I hear you ask....well, let me tell you. It is a Faecal Microbial Analysis, which is basically checking out the microflora in your large intestinal tract. The good thing is that it checks out what shouldn't be there as well as what should.

The organisms that this test focuses on are aerobic bacteria (E.coli, non-E.coli coliforms, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and. Streptococcus spp.), anaerobic bacteria (Bacteroides, Eubacterium, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Prevotella and Porphyromonas, Peptostreptococcus spp.), and yeasts, (Candida spp.,).

My test looked something like this:

The Aerobic bacteria (apparently need air to survive)...
E.coli (there is actually a strain of E.coli that does good in your gut) - 0% (should be 70-90%)
Enterococcus - 10.20% (should be <5%)
Streptococcus - 89.80% (should be <5%)

The Anaerobic bacteria (apparently don't need air to survive)...
Bacteroides (Lo) 41.25% (should be 90-95%)
Eubacterium 13.45% (should be <15%)
Lactobacillus 0% (should be 0.5-1.5%)
Bifidobacterium 0% (should be 5-11%)
Clostridium 44.84% (should be 1-10%)

As you can, not the best....in fact far from it. Ever increasing research says that the gut is the real brain of your bod, so best look after it. Apparently with these dodgy guts Dr Lee and also Dr Henry Butt (owner of Bioscreen) are not surprised I am anxious, depressed, headachey and exhausted.

Therefore, it is time to get action (and stick to it).

The first integrative doctor I saw about these results sent me for more blood tests to check cooper, zinc, pyrroles, histamine and some hormonals. These showed that I was a Pyrrole (which is a biochemical imbalance involving an abnormality in haemoglobin synthesis that can be caused by "leaky gut syndrome") and also an overmethylator (basically someone who has low blood histamine, low plasma zinc, elevated copper leading to anxiety and depression).

Wasn't the biggest fan of the first doctor I saw, as I have mentioned previously, so this week I went back to the wonderful Dr Lee.....the good thing was that I had all the tests done and dusted so we could jump straight into my "get my gut better" journey.

Have you had a bioscreen done?
Are you a pyrrole? or overmethylator?

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I Quit Sugar....again

2017-11-03T09:10:00.000+11:00

According to people everywhere, sugar is bad for you. The dentist tells me, the Dr tells me, the Internet tells me and Sarah Wilson is constantly telling me.

Pack full of calories with no nutrients, it also feeds the bad bacteria in your mouth causing tooth decay. It is high in fructose which can overload your liver causing non-alcoholic fatty liver - delightful (not really).

It can cause insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes. Not to mention it's fat-promoting effects leading to obesity mixed with it's ability to be highly addictive. Throw in some high cholesterol and heart disease and maybe people everywhere have a serious point!

I'm also throwing into the "sugar is shite" bucket the fact sugar is feeding the bad stuff in my already whacked out gut biome - not something I need to be feeding right now.

So....I am quitting sugar - again. You see I have tried before and failed miserably. Not this time. I am girl crushing on Sarah Wilson, her website iquitsugar.com.au and her book, Simpilicious in the hope some of her non-sugarness will rub off on me.

This week we have enjoyed the following recipes:
https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/surf-n-turf-tacos/
https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/slow-cooked-korean-pulled-pork/
https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/pan-fried-whiting/

I wonder what next week will bring?

Have you quit sugar? Easy, Hard? Any tips to share?

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Seems I have a pattern...

2017-11-01T12:46:00.000+11:00

...and not the polka dot, stripe, gorgeous coloured variety.

My pattern is more the, "I don't stick to anything" and "Always set my self expectation way to high" variety.

Point in case - this very blog. I love this blog but I come and go like the wind - sometimes howling and blogging every week, other times quite still and blogging never!

But (there is always a but), I am tying to change my pattern, perhaps to the gorgeous coloured variety.

You see I am back on the "get my gut better" train (cause back in July I found out I had no good bacteria and an overgrowth of bad) and this time I need to stick to it. Things seem to always hit rock bottom before I do something about it. This time was no different.

Anxiety and depression hit me hard, I went to my physiatrist, she said to me, "You need to get your shit together". I told her how I wasn't too keen on Dr Mac and wanted to go back to Dr Lee to help me with my guts and overall wellbeing. She agreed. Next appointment with Dr Lee is next week.

This will probably be the third occasion that I have started to see Dr Lee to get my shit together - the other times "life" has gotten in the way and I have stopped seeing her. This time it has to be about "life".

I start off things so gung-ho, coming out of the gates like a race horse. Only to run out of steam and end up on the side lines panting, out of breath.

This is my "Always set my self expectation too high"patterns fault. For example, I exercise like Michelle Bridges for a week, exhaust and hurt myself, then am so hard on myself for not being Michelle Bridges that it all ends in disaster.

But NOT this time. This time is about "life", sticking to it and not setting my self expectations too high.

Do you have any patterns?

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The week that was....TWENTY SEVEN

2017-07-08T09:46:00.000+10:00

After arriving home on Saturday from our wonderful Hawaiian holiday I smacked into Sunday with an awful sense of foreboding and anxiety about being back to "real life" and having to face the work week.

Throw into my pot of overwhelm some emotional issues that my little miss is trying to deal with and I was quite the spectacle by Sunday evening.

But alas every day is a new day.

So, Monday I smiled and headed into the office with my little miss by my side (school holidays in NSW at the moment) and things had gone completely 180 degrees at work in the two weeks I was away and more of my friends had been made redundant and I was feeling totally disorientated with priority and process changes....but Monday also means Monday night dinner with the neighbours, so that made up for all the BS during the day.

This week also saw me catching up with my new Integrative GP, Dr Mac, to find out the results of my recent blood and urine tests - I have a pyrrole disorder, which means that I excrete large amounts of zinc and B6 in my urine, apparently not a good thing.

She gave me a list of things to take to try and get everything back on track so my body can actually keep the good stuff and only excrete the bad stuff. Next appointment is in six weeks where we talk about getting my gut back in order.

My little miss also had an appointment with a new psychologist - so far so good from what we saw in the introductory meet & greet session. The clinic also has two gorgeous little snoodles - so little miss was rapt.

The highlight of the week was seeing Wonder Woman with Mrs W - seriously if you get the chance to check it out at the movies, you should!

Gal Gadot is amazing as Wonder Woman and Chris Pine does okay in keeping up with her as Steve Trevor, the soldier who stumbles upon the Amazons existence.

I love movies - especially ones with strong, powerful characters. They give me such an injection of adrenalin and "arrhh, I can do this"...so I am aimed at the weekend with confidence and a go-get-em attitude.

Being back at work isn't all that bad though as it means Ladies Lunches with three lovely women that have formed part of my inner sanctum. They are such strong, funny, intelligent women and I love our catch ups and banters about all of life.

It seriously helps to keep some sanity at work.

My list of ten

Move - Totally slack this week, after I walked a lot in Hawaii.

Meditate - Have meditated a lot lately.

Kind - Hawaii was our way of being kind to the whole family.

Connect - Hawaii was also our way of connecting as a family.

Food - My food has been good - really don't have a choice lately.

Flow - Really, really trying to go with the flow.

Blog - Still blogging - even though I missed several weeks....oopps.

Budget - Got to get back in to it now that we are back from holidays.

Fun - Highlights - Monday night dinner, Wonder Woman, Futsal and Friday lunch with the ladies.

How are you going?

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Our Hawaii Trip - Week One

2017-07-08T08:52:00.000+10:00

The view from our room

Monday, 19 June 2017

The fam bam and I boarded a Jetstar flight (picked up in the massive sales they had) to Honolulu, Hawaii. Nine and half hours of flight! Give me strength. The idea was to fly during the night and try to get some sleep - wishful thinking. I always seem to forget how hard it is to sleep on a plane.

We landed in Honolulu completely fatigued with a sick four year old boy and transferred to Kona on the Big Island for our first week in Hawaii - so yep that was another flight.

Hot Tip: Pack the Fess Nose spray and Kids Panadol in your carry on luggage NOT your checked in luggage!

We arrived in Kona, picked up our hire car and continued to chant, "Stay right, stay right".

Hot Tip: I had booked the hire car online thinking I got a great deal - I didn't. The United States are great at adding taxes for this, that and the other and then just adding tax on for shits and giggles - so be warned when you get to pick up your car, your great deal will have you in tears.

The lava rock landscape

As we drove out of the airport I was really shocked by the landscape of the Big Island. Basically from the airport to Hapuna Beach was littered with lava rock.

That first day was basically about finding our bearings and getting some brekkie and snack supplies.

Beach time relaxing

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

We slept in on our first day in Hawaii, which pretty much turned into the theme of the holiday.

Our little man was struck down with a really bad cold (but I have discovered that he is such a trooper) and everyone else was feeling the effects of jetlag, so a quiet day by the pool and relaxing on the beach was in order.

Wednesday, 21 June 2017

This was a special day as our little miss turned NINE! We jumped in the car and headed on a road trip to the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, which was a two and a half hour drive from where we were staying on the Kona coast, through Hilo and down to the Volcanoes.

We opted to do the park ourselves, however there are tours that can take you around - but we feel we got enough out of it.

Our trip to the Volcanoes was definitely the trip highlight for everyone. We saw actual lava! To say it was amazing is an understatement. If you are heading to the Big Island you'd be totally and utterly nuts not to go and see the volcanoes.

Kīlauea volcano

On arrival we went to the visitor centre which outlined where we could go in the time we had available. We headed along the Crater Rim Drive to the Steam vents, the ground was warm beneath our feet as steam shot out of the vents dotted around the area.

Next stop was the Jaggar Museum, which also has an overlook of the Kīlauea volcano - this is where we saw the actual lava as it swished and swirled in the volcano. Apparently at sunrise and sunset you can see the glow of the lava in the crater too. The active vent is located within the Halema‘uma‘u Crater in the caldera of Kīlauea.

The museum had various lava rocks and Thomas Jaggar's suit (non too protective) on display. There was a seismometer so the kids had fun jumping and making the biggest earthquakes.

The Thurston Lava Tube

The road was closed further past the Jaggar Museum (due to dangerous conditions) so we backed tracked and headed for the Thurston Lava Tubes (there was an alert on the tubes due to low lying water the lights were out so it was recommended to bring a torch - and of course we forgot) - but we took the two steps into the tube before it go pitch black and we had to turn around. These tubes were made by a volcanic eruption - seriously amazing stuff.

Our last stop was the Devastation Trail, where we could walk along a paved path to look at the landscape that was buried by during the 1959 Kilauea Iki lava fountain eruption.

The Devastation Trail

There are more hikes you can do but with two kids under ten it was not recommended as they could be up to four hours long - which does take you to where the lava flows into the ocean so highly recommended if you are up to it.

The Fam Bam

Thursday, 22 June 2017

After all the excitement from Wednesday we decided we would have another quiet day by the pool and lazing on the beach.

Friday 23 June

Friday was to be our last full day on the Big Island, so we ventured out - our first stop was the only black sand beach on the Kona coast, 49 Black Sand Beach which is situated on a volcanic bay near Mauna Lani Resort.

This beach was formed by a 19th century lava flow that originated 50 miles away on the slopes of Mauna Loa and is now composed primarily of fine grains of lava.

Black Sand Beach

It is a small beach that is actually in a gated community type situation, so you need to gain access at a guard post (is that the right terminology?) and there are only about 20 car spots available for the public. Our first attempt at getting in, the car park was full but we were told to go to the shops for a bit and come back and try again - so that is exactly what we did. When we came back the second time we gained access.

Have to say we were not blown away by the black sand beach - it was hot, really, really hot in fact. We ran across the black sand in our thongs to the water like our lives depended on it.... I am pretty sure I received third degree burns to the soles of my feet.

The sand that headed into the water was extremely rocky so was destined to cut someones feet to pieces....and then it turned very quickly to coral. When my little man told me he needed to toilet, which meant a trip back over the sand, I declared it game over so we ran like Usain Bolt back to the car (via the toilet).

Black Sand Beach

Hot Tip: If you are going to the Black Sand Beach - wear aqua shoes, take googles and a snorkel and pack a beach umbrella.

Next stop was the Visitor Information Station on Mauana Kea, which is 2.1km above sea level. We had big hopes of taking part in the Stargazing program (which only runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm to 10pm, weather permitting).

We arrived at about 5.30pm, because as per usual parking is limited and we wanted to make sure we didn't miss out. The weather upon arrival was poor - it was raining and completely fogged over. We waited and waited for it to improve. One of the girls that worked there told us that they don't take out the telescopes of there is any moisture, when asked if she thought it would fine up, she replied with "I don't like to make predictions like that".....so we waited and waited a little more. The weather did not fine up so we headed back to the hotel having seen no stars.

Hot Tip: Take warm clothes as the higher up you go, the colder it gets. By the time we reached the Visitor Information Station it was down to about 11 degrees from 35 degrees when we were at Black Sand Beach.

Saturday, 24 June 2017

Saturday morning was a lazy saunter to the beach for our last swim on the Big Island, then we packed up and headed back to the airport for our next adventure at Waikiki.

Have you been to Hawaii?

The week that was....NINETEEN through TWENTY SIX

2017-07-02T09:54:00.001+10:00

Sometimes the days are hard and sometimes they are even harder. You know the ones where you just don't want to get out of bed. I feel like that is what it has been like lately. It is been so long since my last blog post.

I have so many thoughts, fears, hopes and goals floating around in my head lately. I just don't know if I am Arthur or Martha or R2D2.

Too many questions, not enough answers lately.

Recently I found out that I have zero good gut bacteria and an overgrowth of bad bacteria with a parasite thrown in for good measure. I am seeing an Integrative GP in Manly to try to sort things out - as this kind of gut is apparently not good and will take a lot of hard work to get it back to "normal".

In my initial appointment I was totally overwhelmed with information I had blurred vision. It took a few weeks to come to terms with what has to be done. First step was to get rid of the parasite - the antibiotics were so awful I was extremely unwell for the whole ten days.

I can't even talk about work - it SUX. The End. But I have goals and plans for the next six months - get my gut sorted and complete my Project Management certification.

I think that is it for now.

Anyone got anything uplifting to share?

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The week that was....EIGHTEEN

2017-05-07T17:49:00.001+10:00

What a manic week! I have hit the weekend totally exhausted.

It started like any other - Monday night dinner at the neighbours, always fantastic. Tuesday passed by rather uneventfully. Then my boss arrived from New Zealand on Wednesday, it seems to always be hectic when he is in town - especially at the moment as we stare down the barrel of a team restructure and a massive migration.

Wednesday night we had a farewell for one of our execs. It was a cruise around the harbour on a very glamorous motor yacht that is currently owned by the previous CEO of my company......

and yep, this really is a photo of the actual boat, which is for sale, so it could be yours for $6.75 million.

Thursday evening I dined with my wonderfully wonderful BFF, Mrs M, who is heading off on her nine month around Australia adventure this weekend. I was in complete denial that it was happening until this week - you see for the past 20 odd years we have lived about 20 minutes max away from each other (give or take a year here or there for Hong Kong and Eurpoean adventures) - so it hit me like a tonne of bricks falling from a great height. Especially because they may not be returning to Sydney to live when the adventure is over......but never say never.

And it doesn't really matter where we are in the world, we will always be there for each other, no matter what.

The weekend sun shone over Saturday and Sunday which was lovely. Saturday we had both sets of Mr & Mrs C's over and their gorgeous boys for a BBQ lunch - of course it was lovely. After a few grown-up beverages Hubby decided it was a good idea to run and jump over the pool fence into the pool - he survived unscathed....which is very lucky for him.

My list of ten

Move - I actually went for a walk this week - not just incidental walking!

Meditate - Loving my train trip meditations.

Kind - Meditating and walking is being kind to myself.

Connect - Definitely connected this week.

Food - Currently I am addicted to https://iquitsugar.com/ and https://wholefoodsimply.com in an attempt to make some healthy snacks for everyone.

Flow - Still going with the flow.

Blog - Still blogging my little heart out. Seriously I love it.

Budget - Sticking to it.

Fun - Lots of fun this week.

How was your week?

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The week that was...SEVENTEEN

2017-04-30T13:29:00.001+10:00

I know I say this more often than not, but holy shit, time is flying! Even my eight year old said it to me this week - so it must be true!

This week was once again peppered with headaches that culminated into a migraine. Seriously life altering and something that really needs to be dealt with and flipping fast. But I have no clue at this stage where to start. I mean I have seen chiropractors, physios, osteopaths, headache specialists, GPs, naturopaths - I could go on. It is really an exhausting part of my life that contributes a lot to my depression as well.

School returned to Term 2 this week, so we are back into swimming, piano and singing lessons, which also means tight routines and serious meal planning. But the kids are smiling - most of the time so that is winning. I think.

Thursday night was once again, Futsal night, we came second, 11 to 2. We got 2 goals because they were late - the advantage of playing the earlier game of the night. I am seriously loving it though and feel I am getting better each week - at least I hope I am.

Friday night I went along with Ms Mc to a Fashion Revolution event at Bobbin & Ink in Petersham, but I blogged about that over on Minimise Waste, so if you want pop over there to check it out.

My list of ten

Move - I have actually been trying to walk around a lot more.

Meditate - Meditating in an attempt to ease my headaches.

Kind - Been slack the last couple of weeks in being kind to myself. Unless of course being laid up in bed with migraines is being kind to myself?

Connect - Connected at The Fashion Revolution event.

Food - Definitely get back into the foody thing. Baking and cooking up lots of good stuff for the family.

Flow - Still going with the flow.

Blog - Still blogging my little heart out. Seriously I love it.

Budget - Sticking to it.

Fun - Had fun at the Fashion Revolution event and Futsal.

How has your week been?

Got any news to share?

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The week that was....SIXTEEN

2017-04-23T10:09:00.000+10:00

After hitting up the football on Good Friday, I was in bed for the next two days with a migraine - oh the joys. Which caused me to miss a night at the ballet with Hubby, cue devastation.

DAMN Headaches! I just wish there was a way to get rid of them. They hinder my life way too much.

A short week at work is always a winner though! Even though the side effect of having a migraine seems to always be more headaches in the days that follow. Seriously - WINNING, right!

The highlight of my week was kicking off my new blog - Minimise Waste. You should definitely check it out. The fam-bam and I have started on a journey to minimise our waste and declutter our lives, so far so good and so far everyone is on board.

The kids went to my parentals for a couple of nights this week, which was delightful - I am not going to lie. I do tend to walk around wondering what to do when they are not here and then I realise I can do whatever the hell I want to do!

Souths were back playing on Friday again this week - I have never been more angry over a game of football....nuff said.

My list of ten

Move - Attempted to move a lot yesterday - another migraine.

Meditate - Didn't meditate enough this week.

Kind - Still reading The Happiness Project and implementing some changes - watch this space.

Connect - Don't feel I connected enough again this week.

Food - Ho-hum on the food this week.

Flow - Still going with the flow.

Blog - Blogging my little heart out this week.

Budget - Sticking to it.

Fun - Eh, could have done with a lot more this week.

How was your week?

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The week that was....FOURTEEN & FIFTEEN

2017-04-16T08:46:00.000+10:00

Another two weeks jammed into one post! Oh the indignity.

Have to admit though, not much to report for these two weeks. Life just plodded along, day after day and turned into two weeks.

School holidays commenced in NSW. I took my little miss to the office on Monday. She was so excited about it - I was thinking her expectations were a wee bit high, I mean I am never excited to go there. All in all she was great....much better behaved than at home. Her highlight was the hot chocolate machine.

So why stop there I thought....I took both my little miss and little mr to the office on Wednesday. Seriously, what the fuck was I thinking? Actually I know what I was thinking....Another guy from work was taking his three kids, his youngest also aged four, so I agreed to take my little man too. Never again. The End.

Admittedly, they weren't that bad. But the high stress level that you are in all day making sure they are quiet enough, tidy enough, respectful enough - not worth it.

Last weekend we had a family lunch for Dad's birthday. He will be seventy next year - my anxiety levels rise the older he gets. Morbid I know. I also know that he won't be around forever and that thought paralyses me with a fear I would never be able to explain.

Good Friday saw us busing it to the football - Bunnies vs Bulldogs. Seriously, how is awesome is live sport. I love it. For me there is no better way to vent frustration than screaming and yelling at grown men running around a football field. Seriously how shit is it when your team doesn't win though.

My list of ten

Move - Still moving and challenging friends on fitbit (who are currently whipping my butt).

Meditate - Still meditating and loving it.

Kind - Still reading The Happiness Project and implementing some changes - watch this space.

Connect - Don't feel I connected enough.

Food - Don't feel I ate enough great food.

Flow - Definitely going with the flow a lot more - I think The Happiness Project is helping.

Blog - Ummm....Eh, one week but Tickety BOOM the next.

Budget - Sticking to it.

Fun - FOOTBALL!

How was your week...2 weeks?

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The week that was....THIRTEEN

2017-04-03T13:55:00.000+10:00

Saturday 25 March to Sunday 2 April has been a massive, emotional, fun-packed week!!

Saturday 25 March was the wedding of the year - two of our closest friends got hitched...on our wedding anniversary! No better date to get married in my opinion.

G-Bear is Hubbys best man and has always had a special place in my heart. His quirks, craziness and massive heart make him a unique and wonderful human being. Now he is married to another exceptional and amazing human, the new Mrs C. Together they are two pieces of the same puzzle that just fit so seamlessly together. Seeing them get married was an absolute emotional pleasure, and yes I cried a flood of tears.

Sunday 26 March saw the lovely little Master W come in to the world. He is the new little bundle of snugglie goodness for our neighbours, Mr and Mrs W. You quickly forget how small and squishy newborn babes are - I could seriously hold this kid and kiss his head all day!

Monday to Thursday was work - bleh. There is no real need to bring down the mood of the week with talk of another restructure and another exec biting the dust. Seriously sometimes work feels like Survivor - the tribe has spoken and you are OUT! Basically lots of change is happening and along with that comes a lot of uncertainty...but like I said no point talking about it here this week.

Friday 31 March to Sunday 2 April I traveled to Avalon on the Northern Beaches with my positively fabulous group of dancing girlfriends. Quite honestly one of the bestest bunch of women on the planet, actually the whole universe! We went out to dinner, long lunched, did a puzzle (very therapeutic), drank margaritas, conversed without interruption and slept in!

The whole weekend was in honour of my BFF, Mrs M, as she prepares to embark on her Aussie adventure. You see, her and her family are off in a caravan around Australia for nine months. While they are away they will be scoping locations to call home....am I in complete denial that she will be away for nine months, yes I am. Am I also in complete denial that she may not be living in Sydney when their holiday is over, yes I am.

My list of ten

Move - Still moving. I even ran again at Futsal!

Meditate - Still meditating and loving it.

Kind - Still reading The Happiness Project and implementing some changes - watch this space.

Connect - Connected my arse off this week.

Food - Had some awesome food this week. The girls and I went for lunch at Clareville Kiosk on Saturday - AMAZING.

Flow - Definitely going with the flow a lot more - I think The Happiness Project is helping.

Blog - Tickety BOOM.

Budget - Eh, we have been wavering of late. But back on track this week.

Fun - Jam packed fun this week.

How has your week been?

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The weeks that were....ELEVEN & TWELVE

2017-03-25T11:38:00.000+11:00

I can't even remember why I didn't blog last week. Digging in my memory, perhaps it was a bad headache on Sunday. I've had a couple this week.

But on the bright side, I have decided it's time to be happy again.

Work is settling down after my boss and I started to implement the changes we discussed. I have also kicked off a "make the whole team happy" discussion with the managers across our department. The negativity and miserableness just has to go!

All in all, some really positive things are happening.

I started playing Futsal with a group of mums from school. I had never played soccer before, or even run for that matter. Our first game was last week. We played what seemed to be a semi-professional team. As we were talking about what the hell the rules actually were in this game, in walked a group of younger women in matching shirts and official indoor soccer boots - I was sure they were representing some kind of Australian team. We didn't win our first game, but we had a lot of fun in the process of conceding 18 goals.

My little lady has been hard work lately and the straw broke the camels back this week when the meltdowns and anxieties hit a high, so we are heading back to her counselor which will be of benefit to everyone. It really is so very tough to see her trying to deal with her anxieties as I know exactly how she is feeling - it breaks me heart.

Last weekend I attended a Hens Party for the every lovely soon-to-be Mrs C. It was great to dress up, get up and go out. We went to the Tea Cosy in The Rocks for High Tea and then ventured to The Observer for drinks - no Strawberry Daiquiris though. Seriously! How hard is it to get a cocktail in this city!

My list of ten

Move - Still moving. I even ran!

Meditate - Still meditating. Taking lots of deep breaths.

Kind - Still reading - I have finished The Girl in the Spider's Web. Loved it. Now I am onto The Happiness Project....really trying to inject some serious positivity and happiness in my life and the life of others.

Connect - Connected with some lovely women at the High Tea for Mrs C.

Food - Still loving food. This week I have been craving chips & gravy...I have however not indulged.

Flow - Getting back into my flow at lot more these past two weeks and thank goodness!

Blog - No tick and then tick.

Budget - Same, same really.

Fun - Futsal, definitely fun. And deciding to be happy again, definitely fun.

How have you been?

What are your tips for happy?

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The week that was....TEN

2017-03-12T09:27:00.000+11:00

There was only one place to go after last week and that was UP!

Literally spent so many hours this week talking to my boss about how we could work together to make my life easier. I am very fortunate he is so supportive. We have already started to put some new work processes in place that will really help take the stress off.

Tuesday saw me heading to the new ICC at Darling Harbour to the Simon Sinek and Peter Docker's Start with Why Leadership Forum. Totally blown away. Simon Sinek is an amazing speaker, so engaging and motivating. You really buy what he is selling. It was definitely a very inspiring day.

I spent time with two of my favourite people this week; my BFF Mrs M and my brother B.

Mrs M and I headed to Camperdown Commons for dinner on Wednesday night - such a great place, lovely atmosphere, great food, awesome company. Spending time together is always the deep breath I need.

Brother B and I went to the Treehouse for lunch on Friday. It has been so long since it was just the two of us hanging out, shooting the breeze. It was so lovely to catch up with him and to hear about his life.

Hubby was away for the weekend at a Buck's weekend. They have definitely tamed since we got married - an exceptionally good thing. The kids and I have been making slime (yep, more slime), going out for coffee & cake, watching Souths play and having movie nights.

My list of ten

Move - Moved a lot more this week, which is always a good thing.

Meditate - Meditating more too.
.
Kind - Still loving the time I am spending reading. The Girl in the Spider's Web is so captivating I find it hard to put down to actually sleep.

Connect - Connecting with my favourite people as I mentioned.

Food - I ate a bit this week but still had great wholesome foods - seriously check out Camperdown Commons if you can, it is great.

Flow - My flow is definitely a lot less clogged this week, which makes for a happier Sam and also teng

Blog - Tick.

Budget - Same, same really.

Fun - Definitely had fun this week with my favourite peeps and hanging out with my littlest monkeys.

How has your week been?

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The week that was...NINE

2017-03-05T14:40:00.003+11:00

This week has been one of the hardest I've had for a while. A long while.

I slipped into a dark depression. Got totally overwhelmed. Realised I just wasn't coping.

Perhaps a good thing - the realising I wasn't coping part, not the depression part. Depression is never a good thing. But it finally hit me this week, I just can't do it all and I am not coping.

I just didn't want to admit to anyone, or even myself, that I just wasn't coping with my workload and parenting and everything else that comes along with living life. Something had to give before I had a full blown nervous breakdown.

Floods of tears were shed. Every ounce of energy and determination was used to even get out of bed. Cue an emergency appointment with my psychiatrist (have I mentioned how much I love her) and I am rebooting (her words).

We talked about all the things I could change in my life that would see me coping - I made a list, oh how I love a list. Currently the list is split into two; home and work. I see this being very organic and it will change as I work out what actually works and throw aside what doesn't.

I spoke at length about it to hubby, my family and my boss - all extremely understanding and supportive. I really am fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing people.

So, now is the time to reboot.

My list of ten

Move - Rain and depression = very little steps this week.

Meditate - Attempted unsuccessfully.
.
Kind - How I love to read....finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriaty, it was excellent!

Connect - Had lunch to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of one of the ladies at work.

Food - I am still loving fig, bocconcini, proscuitto and green leaves with a little balsamic vinegar on top. I also snuck in a pork belly for lunch :)

Flow - My flow was totally clogged this week.

Blog - Tick.

Budget - Still plodding along...Dr's bills were not part of the budget though...eek.

Fun - I made Slime with my little lady and helped her create a YouTube channel to show people how to make slime. I admit, that was fun.

How are you coping?
Got any tips for me?

The week that was....EIGHT

2017-02-26T11:54:00.000+11:00

Time. It really does get fly as you get older. I'm not too sure if it is my friend or my foe.

When I was younger my dad used to tell me not to wish the time away as it just got quicker and quicker and eventually I would want it to slow down. I thought he was crazy. Turns out he wasn't.

It is the eighth week of 2017 already. February is coming to end, therefore so is Summer. Autumn is quite literally around the corner again.

Didn't Summer just start? I was so sure it had.

I seem to be getting to the state where time is going by so quickly my days are blending and I can't recall what actually happened this week, or was it last week, or perhaps it is on my To Do for next week?

Work this week seems to have calmed though....and that is a big THANK F**K. I mean we are far from cruising, but the stress levels have come down a smidgen. And we are working together to try to set things right again.

Wednesday are little misses piano lessons, and yeah OK I am totally bias because she is my kid, but she is gooood. I love to listen to her playing and see her little face light up. And it seems our little man is keen to start learning too. He is also talking about wanting to play the guitar, which at this stage would be bigger than him.

My list of ten

Move - My steps have increased, though still not hitting the ever elusive 10k steps a day - nowhere near actually. Still really need to get my tail in gear.

Meditate - Tick.

Kind - In an effort to get reading, because I love reading, I have two books on the go - The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriaty and The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz. Also, saw my Chiropractor again on Friday. He is happy with my progress. If only I could kick these headaches and back and neck pains I would be happy too.

Connect - Had lunch with some ladies from work this week, such kind, funny, witty women. It helped a lot in lowering the stress levels at work.

Food - Salads have been my go-to this week for lunch. At the moment I am loving fig, bocconcini, proscuitto and green leaves with a little balsamic vinegar on top.

Flow - While my stress is high, I do think that I am yelling a lot less, flowing a lot more.

Blog - I might even blog a few times this week!

Budget - So far so good, except when the bank hit us with a fee to change from Interest only back to P&I on the mortgage...seriously! COME ON! Damn banks.

Fun - On Saturday I took Little Miss on her first sushi train experience. It had been ages since I had been. She loved it and so did I. I really love our little Mumma, Daughter dates, where it is just her and I and we can talk about anything and not be interrupted by other distractions.

How was your week?

What are your thoughts on time?

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My Doctor Strange infatuation

2017-02-25T14:36:00.001+11:00

Benedict Cumberbatch has never done anything for me. In fact, I don't think I have seen him in any other movies....let me google him, be right back.

Yep I have...Star Trek: Into the Darkness. Obviously his character didn't jump out and grab me in the feels like Doctor Strange has done.

Admittedly Benedict Cumberbatch probably still does nothing for me. It is not like we went on a hot date or anything. I have no idea what he is like IRL (In Real Life for people of my age, cause the first time someone said this to me I had NFI). Even though th
ere was that one time I saw him on the couch with Graham Norton and he seemed perfectly likable.

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Anyhoo, I totally digress.

I have just watched Doctor Strange, of the Marvel variety. And I guess I should preface this by saying that I love all things Marvel. Especially the Extra Terrestrial versions, like Guardians of the Galaxy.

So, when Doctor Strange started with scenes reminiscent of Inception with some trans-dimensional jumping thrown in I was hooked. (and on a side note, Tilda Swinton rocks this movie so hard, she is seriously amazing).

We are then introduced to the arrogant, self-consumed, arse-hat Doctor Stephen Strange (played by
Benedict Cumberbatch - surprise, surprise), who has a total fear of failure. On the other hand he has a quirky sense of humor and soft gentle eyes (and aren't they the windows to the soul). Seriously, what more could you ask for in a superhero?

Fast forward a few scenes and he is involved in a car accident and injuries his hands beyond repair. We also learn he had a brief tryst with a lovely woman, Christine (played by Rachel McAdams), who is clearly way too lovely for him.

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His quest to gain the use of his hands leads him to the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and here is where all the fun begins as he is drawn into the world of the mystic arts - and of course meets a bad guy who is trying to help the "dark universe" take over the world.

The special effects in this movie are amazing! As I mentioned Tilda Swinton is amazing! And Benedict Cumberbatch plays Doctor Strange so wonderfully with his one-liners and raised eyebrows that you will surely be infatuated as well. Special mention must go to the Cloak of Levitation - who goes pretty close to stealing the whole god damn show.

Have you seen it?

What movie characters grab you in the feels?

The week that was...SIX and SEVEN

2017-02-19T17:57:00.000+11:00

How did I miss a whole week?

I whizzed through and barely touched the sides! I would love to ask the question - "Where has the time gone?" but I feel I already know the answer.

It has been sucked into the vortex that is my highly stressful, soul sucking job - at least that is what it is like at the moment. It hasn't always been like that and here is hoping (with all my might) that it doesn't stay like that! I mean it can't, can it?

I was lulled into a false sense of security a couple of weeks back....there was a rainbow overhead, which meant less stress on me. And... then the clouds rolled in again, shut out the light, the rainbow faded to nothing and here we are again.

At the moment it is consuming me. And yes, yes I know that is my own decision to let it consume me. I could just leave it all at the door when I leave - trust me I have tried. But my damn conscience and high work ethic just won't let me do it.

So the past two weeks have seen me utter depleted by work and feeling like the worst wife, mother, friend that there is in whole wide world....hence the dark clouds of depression have rolled in and sheer exhaustion ensued.

But I can't say it has been all doom and gloom....I did take a day off to go to our little misses first swimming lesson and while she didn't swim in ANY races, it was a delight to be sitting with her in the sun for a day.

The weekly neighbour dinners now involve another family in the street, which is awesome, so Monday nights are always great - and I only have to cook every third Monday now :)

My list of ten

My steps have been minimal - to say the least. And as for Michelle Bridges, well I haven't even seen her and I am two weeks in! OMG! Really need to get my tail in gear.

Always loving my meditation and mindfulness.

I am still seeing my Chiropractor on a weekly basis - a good thing too, because with all the stress has come an extremely sore and seized up neck.

How are you going?

Being kind to yourself?

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The week that was...FIVE

2017-02-05T10:19:00.000+11:00

What a week in Castle Stone!

Our little lady headed back to school this week as a Year 3 kid with the biggest smile on her face. This is a massive breakthrough for our little lady as the start of every other school year has been met with massive trepidation and anxiety. To say it was a super proud mumma would be an understatement.

She also headed back to her mini swimming squad sessions - I was freaking out and so was our little lady. Her first exposure to mini squads was a total disaster and led to screaming sessions and her little arms wrapped so tightly around me with utter refusal to get in the pool at all.

Queue a teacher and pool change last term and we were making progress - she was actually in the pool even though she wasn't participating in the lesson.

Fast forward to this week and she was met with a new teacher (the teacher that made the progress last term isn't teaching anymore) and instant anxiety, she clung to me and said "I don't want to do it".

The teacher (who I am now totally in love with) said to her, "let's just give it 5 minutes, if you are stressed after that you can get out". She climbed in to the water and that was that....she swam the whole lesson and was amazing. She emerged from the water smiling and so proud of herself. Another totally proud mumma moment, this time I could even possibly have a tear.

This week also saw us at a new music school (the previous one has closed down) and therefore a new environment and new teacher, our little lady was a bit anxious about this as new places, situations and people are what make her most anxious. However, her teacher was beyond lovely and our little man and I got to sit in on her first lesson and she is actually really good. The teacher was very impressed as was I. And yet another proud mumma moment.

Our little man also headed back to swimming lessons. My parentals take him on a Friday. Reports were not good - he didn't want to get in the water. Once in the water he did not want to participate and was not giving the teacher anything at all. Apparently he wouldn't even look at her. Queue my anxiety and that of my parentals and discussions on how we can get him to engage in his swimming lessons.

After all that I am totally exhausted! And still trying to get my head around being back in to the routine of drop-offs, pick-ups, after school activities, dinners, lunches etc etc.

My list of ten

My steps were a bit up on last week but nothing to scream from the rooftops about. Michelle Bridges 12wbt kicks off next week for me - so I will definitely be moving! My goal is to increase my fitness enough to play summer soccer with a friend.

Still loving my meditation and mindfulness.

I headed back to my naturopath this week after five months. She is such a lovely, caring soul. I am back on Vitamin B's, Probiotics and a tonic in an attempt for more energy and better gut health.

I definitely feel like I am going with the flow a lot more - the anger levels seem to be a lot lower than recent times.

How was your week?

Got kids back at school? How do you cope with the routine?

Our Rafiki

2017-02-02T10:01:00.000+11:00

Joel

I have followed Constance Hall from afar admiring her fierceness and tenacity for some time now. None more so than her work with Rafiki Mwema when she raised enough money to build a Queens Castle for the gorgeous girls at Rafiki Mwema. She is also donating $1 from each of her book sales to the King's Castle.

Another auspicious blogger I have stalked and seriously admired, I'd even go as far to say I have a girl crush on this lady, is Danielle from Keeping up with the Holsby's. She is seriously amazing and just climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for Rafiki Mwema.

Rafiki Mwema means "loyal friend" in Swahili and is a place that has been setup by lovely ladies, Sarah and Anne Marie to create an environment so abused children can be therapeutically parented and have regular therapy as individuals and in groups. The kids are also supported to have safe contact with their families. Most importantly they are loved.

The team at Rafiki Mwema work with families; in the communities; the schools; churches; villages; with the government officials to ensure the cycle of abuse is broken and children are able to live as children should.

They are totally committed to supporting the children who have experienced things we could not even imagine and to help them heal their trauma. They are looking at a family who will grow to love and be loved.

Ever since I heard about Rafiki Mwema I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. These beautiful children were constantly in my thoughts.

So I decided to do something about it. Hubby and I have talked for a long time about sponsoring a child and now we do, his name is Joel - that is him up there in that picture.

Joel has not had a great life so far - in fact so far from it. He has been abused by his family, ended up on the streets where he was abused even further - unthinkable things have happened to this young man. He is finally safe at Rafiki Mwema and Hubby, the kids and I are doing our part to make sure his future is bright.

Have you heard of Rafiki Mwema?

{life} The week that was....FOUR

2017-01-30T11:14:00.000+11:00

WoW, time really does fly. Here we are at the end of another week and kick-starting another one.

Last week of the school holidays for us here in NSW. Our little miss is going into Year 3 - seriously you blink and these kids are another year older and nearly as tall as you.

This week has been pretty low-key actually. Work for the grown-ups, daycare for our little man and some vacation care and play dates for our little miss. And a public holiday thrown in for good measure.

Work has dropped from high pressure, throttle at full to a little less pressure and a little less throttle - thank goodness. Still very thankful to be surrounded by such a supportive team.

On Saturday we had friends over for morning tea....which ended up being a hang out for nearly the whole day. I love when that happens, the kids are having a great time, the adults are having a great time and the time just slips away without notice.

My list of ten

My steps were almost non-existent this week, seriously I am really not sure what happened....oh apart from complete laziness on my part - any tips anyone has for getting up early would be greatly appreciated.

Still being kinder to myself and chasing my Minbalup (happy place). This week I read a book....and actually finished it. I am currently working my way through James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.

And this is my fourth week in a row blogging! and also reading my favourite blogs more, which I just love.

How was your week?

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What Australia Day means to me...

2017-01-27T09:06:00.001+11:00

Firstly, I am so proud to be Australian and really believe I am very fortunate to live in this wonderful country surrounded by such great people. I am also proud to call myself Aboriginal.

For me, Australia Day is a day for all Australians to come together and celebrate what it means to be Australian, no matter where you have come from or how you got here. A celebration that should applaud our diverse society.

It should also be a time to reflect on our history and contemplate how we can make Australia an even better place in the future.

January 26, the current day we celebrate Australia Day also marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain. A day that many Aboriginal people call Invasion Day.

Therefore, January 26 is a day of mourning for them as they remember the suffering caused by government policies of assimilation and separation, as well as the violence of the Frontier Wars, which raged from 1788 to 1928.

I have no idea how affected my own family was by these events as there are no family records dating earlier than the late 1800's, but I can only assume they were affected in some way. And to be honest, the thought of their suffering makes my heart ache (as suffering is oft to do).

The debate rages, and will continue to do so, over January 26 being the date we celebrate Australia Day.

I do question, why not change the date, so all Australians can celebrate this wonderful country we live in, instead of some mourning the occasion.

Unfortunately we can't change the history, January 26 will always be known as Invasion Day for Aboriginal people and be a day they mourn. But the future is an open book, we can write whatever we want....we can celebrate this great country with a snag, a beer and the Triple J Hottest 100 any day.

What does Australia Day mean to you?

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{Life} The week that was...THREE

2017-01-22T10:03:00.000+11:00

Here we are, another week.

Sunday definitely had the "crap, it is work again tomorrow" feels. That sinking feeling you get at about 4.30pm in the afternoon when you realise your two days of freedom with your family and friends are falling through your fingers like sands through the hourglass (nope I don't watch Days of our Lives).

Monday night was at the neighbours and as per usual was great. They knocked up some lamb chops with salad - delish.

Work this week is still sucking the big fat cherry. My work BFF is back on deck and thank goodness. I may not have survived the issues and dramas from this week without him...and the rest of my very supportive team, who make me laugh when I need it most. After asking if anyone could tell me a joke to lighten the mood, one of my team mates shared this with me (and I love Sloths) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oMbwWqceNw.

The kids went to my parentals for a couple of nights of being totally spoilt rotten. I have to admit when they aren't around I actually miss them - little terrors! Hubby and I took the opportunity to go out to dinner and the movies (gold class, thanks Mark & Jules), to see Rogue One. Yep, we are massive Star Wars fans.

My list of ten

Headaches plagued my week, so my steps were low. I totally blame work. But I did organise to meet a friend once a week at 5.30am to walk! Always easier with a buddy.

My chiropractor appointment will hopefully alleviate the headaches and get me back on track.

As part of being kinder to myself, I have started to chase my Minbalup (aboriginal word for "a happy place") and will blog about my journey in a hope to inspire others to do the same, so please head over the Minbalup section and let's talk about happy places.

And this is my third week in a row blogging!

How was your week?

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Minbalup, a happy place

2017-01-21T12:44:00.000+11:00

There is so much anger and unhappiness everywhere. So much stress, pressure and worry about are we doing it all and constantly achieving more than we ever have before. It is driving people to exhaustion, or sometimes even worse.

It is consuming and pulling us down into a despair that is hard to shake off. Witnessing this in the people I love and admire makes my heart ache so hard.

As my years have ticked over and my depression has attempted to drown me on more than one occasion, it has become extremely important for me to find my happy place and help those around me find their's too.

Minbalup is the Aboriginal word for "a happy place" and it has become my passion to find it and share it.

I'd love you to join in too. Let's try to find Minbalup in every day and share it to inspire others to find their Minbalup too.

Head over to Instagram and share your images using #minbalup and tag me in it, @sammy_on_venus or hit me up on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/alifeonvenus.

Are you keen to find your Minbalup?
What is your Minbalup?

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A Life on Venus

You're never too young to get Bowel Cancer!

Hey Alison, tell us a bit about yourself?

When and how were you diagnosed with bowel cancer?

What was the treatment like?

How were your emotions as you went through this?

How are you now?

What would you tell people about bowel cancer?

Anything else?

Do you talk about your bowels?

Have you known someone with bowel cancer?

My Gut Journey....Part 1

Quitting Sugar

Probiotics etc

Kombucha

Bone Broth

Gelatin Gummies

Yoghurt

Do you have any gut loving foods that you eat?

My Gut Journey....The Why?

Have you had a bioscreen done?Are you a pyrrole? or overmethylator?

I Quit Sugar....again

Have you quit sugar? Easy, Hard? Any tips to share?

Seems I have a pattern...

Do you have any patterns?

The week that was....TWENTY SEVEN

How are you going?

Our Hawaii Trip - Week One

Monday, 19 June 2017

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Thursday, 22 June 2017

Friday 23 June

Saturday, 24 June 2017

Have you been to Hawaii?

The week that was....NINETEEN through TWENTY SIX

Anyone got anything uplifting to share?

The week that was....EIGHTEEN

How was your week?

The week that was...SEVENTEEN

How has your week been? Got any news to share?

The week that was....SIXTEEN

How was your week?

The week that was....FOURTEEN & FIFTEEN

How was your week...2 weeks?

The week that was....THIRTEEN

How has your week been?

The weeks that were....ELEVEN & TWELVE

My list of ten

How have you been? What are your tips for happy?

The week that was....TEN

My list of ten

How has your week been?

The week that was...NINE

My list of ten

How are you coping?Got any tips for me?

The week that was....EIGHT

My list of ten

How was your week? What are your thoughts on time?

My Doctor Strange infatuation

Have you seen it? What movie characters grab you in the feels?

The week that was...SIX and SEVEN

My list of ten

How are you going? Being kind to yourself?

The week that was...FIVE

My list of ten

How was your week? Got kids back at school? How do you cope with the routine?

Our Rafiki

Have you heard of Rafiki Mwema?

{life} The week that was....FOUR

My list of ten

How was your week?

What Australia Day means to me...

What does Australia Day mean to you?

{Life} The week that was...THREE

My list of ten

How was your week?

Minbalup, a happy place

Are you keen to find your Minbalup?What is your Minbalup?

Have you had a bioscreen done?
Are you a pyrrole? or overmethylator?

How has your week been?

Got any news to share?

How have you been?

What are your tips for happy?

How are you coping?
Got any tips for me?

How was your week?

What are your thoughts on time?

Have you seen it?

What movie characters grab you in the feels?

How are you going?

Being kind to yourself?

How was your week?

Got kids back at school? How do you cope with the routine?

Are you keen to find your Minbalup?
What is your Minbalup?