I put this one off deliberately because a will is basically made null and void when you get married, so it seemed pointless to update my will before that.

My will needs are actually more basic now than what they were prior to being married.  My previous will was written when I had my son and I needed to ensure that he would be cared for financially and physically/emotionally in the event of my untimely death.  So that one was quite complicated as I didn’t have a spouse who would take immediate care of this.  As a result I have life insurance, death and disability benefits through my superannuation and several other ‘back-up plans’ that have been in place to take care of my son if for some reason I no longer could.

So for my update, I went the really simple option.  $25 and I was done.  I could even specify what preferences I had for my funeral, such as my wish to be cremated and to have buddhist influences for my funeral in preference to a more traditional ‘christian’ ritual.  It’s quite a weird feeling thinking about ones funeral, I wouldn’t say it scared me, or worried me, just a little odd.

Glad to have that one ticked off my list!

This goes down in the history books – especially the second voice mail. Ladies: this is what’s out there…. So have a listen…and a belly-laugh, and thank your lucky stars you are either single, or not with this guy!

Click here for the audio file.

One of my dearest friends has been having difficulty falling pregnant, and last Friday, after more than a year of trying every which way, it was discovered that her eggs simply aren’t letting her husband’s swimmers in.  In some ways, that is kind of a relief – at least they know what the problem is now and can take steps to overcome that.

I particularly love that they are both keeping a sense of humour in the midst of so much emotional upheaval… which is why I think they will laugh at this very timely episode of Cyanide and Happiness.  And why I will continue to make jokes at her husband’s expense about his history of “breaking and entering” as a misguided youth.

I am beyond excited about this film.  As a devotee of the book as a child, I have been reading it to my own son for about the past year.  His imagination is very wild, so the illulstrations sometimes ‘scare’ him, but I just know that once he sees this film, he will understand the innocence of it all.

Bring on October 2009.

(Yes, I’m back!  Wedding and Honeymoon posts will come very soon!)

This is a drawing my boyfriend Matthew did in response to the bushfires. This Saturday is Valentines Day. If you like, print out this drawing and give it as a Valentine to someone you love. Let them know that instead of buying flowers, chocolates or champagne, you have donated to the bushfire relief fund instead.

To donate click here.

Feel free to pass on information to as many people as you like.

Rachel Knepfer and Matthew Martin, Coogee, NSW

Link to PDF

I think there are enough blogs out there that discuss philosophically and literally what needs to be done.  Sometimes though, it’s the smallest thing that can make you realise just what the impact is likely to be in the future.  For me, it was a couple of photos below… the fact that humans are destroying this planet and while we go on about the impact on future generations (of humans), let’s just stop for a minute and think about all the other living things on this globe that don’t really get a say in how their planet is treated.

I just received this on an email…. 

It has been so hot in South Australia for over a week… 40+ degrees Celsius everyday, very dry also.

A guy lives at Maude.   His wife sent him these photos of a little Koala which just walked into the back porch looking for a bit of heat relief.    She filled up a bucket and this is what happened!

Speaks volumes really, doesn’t it?  It’s cute yes, but also horrifying that an animal that would usually steer clear of humans is reaching out to them now for help to cope in these extreme conditions.

Makes me feel sick to think of all the carbon energy that was used in the last week with airconditioners…..