I miss you

Seems like a strange title for this weeks gallery post for Tara Cains Gallery but it’s how I feel. This week is all about Nature.

Australia I miss you.

I Really do miss you and how diverse you are. I have traveled your lands,and smelled you as the rain has hit uluru. I have stood in rainforests and been amazed by the ferns and the incredibly tall trees, I have taken boat rides through the Daintree I have swum with Green turtles at Whitehaven Beach I have snorklled the great Barrier reef and almost inhaled my body weight in water at the amazing fish you have provided.

I have climb Extinct Volcanos to see the sunrise and I have climbed the highest mountain you have to offer. I have driven across the entire bottom part, the middle & east coast of your land entering the most barren parts of the country. I have  camped in 42C heat & wished I hadn’t!

I’ve been less than 10ft away from a 16ft wild crocodile & been scared witless. I’ve been bitten by a white tailed & red back spider. Yet despite my phobia relished in the moment that is what we call Nature.

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Kreativ Blogger Award

Steph my lovely friend over at imcountingufoz has given me the kreativ blogger award.

There are some rules, which if you know me I am a real rule follower but also break the ones I don’t like yanno 😀 So I don’t think I’ll tag anyone as I know many of you have already done it and I can’t bear the disappointment of you telling me that 😀

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link the person who has nominated you for the award
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate
7. Let the nominated victims bloggers know they have been tagged

I also have to share 7 photos that mean something to me. They are all from Australia, where my heart remains.

Lets go!

This picture was taken on our Hassleblad camera, years ago we got very, VERY seriously into photography. I quit my job to pursue a Landscape photography career. I was doing OK until I got pregnant and lazier 😀 I did get some help with this photograph from my husband, he suggested the lens, we were driving along a lake down in Victoria in Australia when I “saw” the photograph.

Again Hassleblad I climbed up into part of the waterfall for this shot. I also then dramatically fell over and sprained both wrists, and put my pelvis and spine out. But what a fabulous shot!

In Australia we get a lot of bush fires, sadly for a lot for a lot of people and animals they loose lives and homes. A lot of the native plants need the heat to open their pods to enable the seeds to grow again. These flowers are in a massive area that was burnt a couple of years before we ever got there. I like it because it reminds me of life’s ups and downs.

In Tasmania there is a place called Port Arthur, I am sure if you are my age or older then you would probably of heard of this place. It’s fascinating and Erie and just sad. And it seemed long after it was stopped being used for what it had been built for more tragedy struck. We did a ghost tour it was SO SCARY!

Bit dark and moody, this is The Great Ocean Road we drove it in 1999 I think I forget I was very slim I know that LOL I made it all dark and moody as the water was SO violent and deafeningly noisy.

This is a VERY old picture taken on some crappy camera I had when I first went to Australia on holiday in 1997, after taking a picture like that I was thinking how beautiful can a place be! This was taken at Uluru.

This is Mt.Buffalo Hubby and I took our first holiday as a couple in Victoria, and year after year we returned not because we’re sappy, because it really is a stunning part of Australia.

Hope you enjoyed that, I know I did reliving my little breaks!

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The Gallery – Joy- My Joy Australia

Tara, the uber number 1 on the TOTS 100 CONGRATS! Runs a weekly Gallery on her blog Sticky Fingers

This week the theme is Joy.

One thing that brings me Joy is Road Trips my husband I have been doing them since we got together in 1998 We’ve done a lot mostly in Australia where my heart remains. I love driving there. We’ve done some HUGE road trips. The photo’s below are from Our drive from Sydney to Perth. 9000KMS took us 3 days now we didn’t speed why do you ask :p And then of course my entire favourite place in the world thus far Uluru better known as Ayres rock. And our last HUGE drive Sydney to Cairns, stopping along the way to visit Australia Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter.

The Late Steve Irwin

Uluru

The Australian Bight

Yep long road and yes Camels!

I miss that place.

P.S sorry for the reflections, this was all taken on GASP film!

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Where is Monkey Hiding?

Where can he be?

Monkey Music is a music program for children it’s different to others out there. Eliza and I started music classes before she could actually sit up on her own she was close to 6 months when we started Kindermusik in Sydney, Australia. To say she loved it was an understatement she rocked furiously and had a grin ear to ear. I was sold. I bought every musical instrument I could find, that she could grasp in those enormous fat rubber band hands of hers.

When we moved to Marylebone, London, I looked for music classes I found there was no Monkey Music and No Kindermusik what were I to do now? So I took it upon myself to sing with her along with the Kindermusik CD and use the instruments we had bought. She loved that.

Eventually I found a organisation which has since closed down that had music classes they were run by a guy called Neal from the band Sigue Sigue Sputnik he was fantastic, he sang all songs we  all know old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle little Star and he played his guitar the whole time the kids really got into it and he had fabulous energy. Then he took a break to focus on his record producing and childrens albums I had Jeremiah and we didn’t return.

Then my friends and I decided to hire the local Kindermusik woman to give us a private class. We did this by organise enough of us to make it worth while and we held it in my Friends house. This was great the kids had a great time, but it was a painful term due to the teacher not being able to actually sing, she was a sweetie and a lovely woman but hmm not the vocal quality our ears had hoped for. After that we erm didn’t hire her again and we were once again left without music in our lives.

After our lovely May holiday in France and Spain we came home. Two days later we- got-  ahem Married after 12 years of love and hate and decided to move to the burbs. Unal was out of work, I was out of patience and we decided on Kent. And here we were.

I had to find classes I had to get out I had to find something anything to occupy both kids. Now here’s the issue. I am a full time stay at home mum. I am also one of those mums who pretends she’s supermum. I don’t send Eliza to Nursery although most days I wish I did. I instead do all my own ironing (oh I miss my ironing lady) I take the kids on walks to the woods and I scream and cry and tell my husband I hate him and then well you know..

So I had heard about Monkey music so I thought “bet that is out here in the countryside” and it was. And I was so happy, happy I could go, or could I? I had two children 2 years apart they should be in separate classes, how could I go? I spoke to Helen the co-ordinator for this area she was happy to place us in the middle class so both could benefit. They both LOVE it. each Wednesday when I tell them “lets go to Monkey Music” they both get very excited Eliza mostly banters on about how good she will be and how she will tell her teacher she does Ballet and loves Horses and then spends most of the class firmly planted on my knees.

Jeremiah also LOVES it although he hates giving anything back and occasionally has a fit rolls around the floor and I do what I normally do laugh and pray I’m the only one who can see what’s happening. I got so concerned that I emailed Helen to ask if I should even come back, I was told I was OK and that no matter what class he’s in he will have to give things back. OK phew I am not an out cast.

Eliza has stated “monkey music is boring” but each week asks “monkey music today?” “I love monkey music!” poor child I think she’s confused about the word boredom I’m hoping that lasts a bit longer I’m not ready to deal with “I’m bored” what does one do then?

Anyway you’d think I work for them, but I don’t I am just a very grateful mum who has the chance to take her kids to a fun class where they can actually learn to sit still, listen to a teacher, play in time (you listening Jerry). I get a welcome break despite busting some serious dance moves (you’d never know I was an extra as a dancer on moulin rouge) I get to sit and enjoy it. I get to see my kids holding hands, and sharing. I get be with other people who don’t follow me to the toilet or ask me for a drink. I like that.

It makes me want to go for an hour a day.  can’t wait for the new year and despite miss 3.5 stating “it’s boring” she has said “maybe we can go to Monkey Music again” She has said this about all her classes which is a good sign this means she wants more.

I’m hoping next year I can co-ordinate a few more classes for master J. He only has Monkey Music.

Life’s hard when you’re super-mum and have to tow along big sis. But we’ll get there. One day she’ll thank me and if she doesn’t well. I’ll take away her toys 😀

Monkey music fun for everyone!

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Photography

As some of you know I like photography, I do really enjoy it. I enjoy doing it, I enjoy looking at it. I adore documentary photography mostly the works of Salgado they are usually not enjoyable photographs to look at and I am sure they were awful to shoot but they are truly amazing and if you’re in a bookshop check his work out, it’s very moving.

When I was learning about photography I was using film and a Lecia M4-P which is fully manual. I had to estimate the light and get it right. It wasn’t easy and I made a lot of mistakes and to this day I get muddled I tell you I am special.

I decided to do some learning documentary shots it’s not easy to get pictures like these when you’re using a 50mm. As I took this a group turned up and I had to tell them to be quiet so not to wake him as I was getting closer and closer. I am certain there is now 20 people in Japan with a picture of me taking this picture!

I had to get so close to this chap and he wasn’t asleep, He asked me what I was doing and I said documenting people living rough in Sydney, he grunted OK.

Me Sneaky nooooo. This guy was sleeping on a HUGE man hole cover which accesses a sewer why he chose to lie on it I will never know.

A scene you would often see on the steps of Sydney Library  these guys were not so happy at me taking their photograph I think this was one of my first images of trying to capture living rough in Sydney and I didn’t really know how to be stealthy!

I would like to point out that Sydney is not a homeless haven and that there is minimal homeless people compared to say London. It’s just that at the time I wanted to try my hand at documenting something that could happen to any of us.

Shall I end with a nice photo of Chinaman beach, a stunning place very beautiful near Huskisson NSW

One day I would love to travel to a remote part of the world and document people. It’s been done a thousand times before, but you have to have goals!

*All photos are copyright, if you use them, please link me and all photo’s are available to purchase as usual.

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Eliza turns 3!

Happy 3rd Birthday Eliza!!!
Here’s my Birth story of Eliza

Thursday 6th of April 13, 2006
I was admitted to hospital to begin induction 7 days after my due date, I was already 2cm dilated and told this would help to get things going. I was happy and excited thinking that by at least Friday I would have Eliza in my arms.
They checked me at 9pm that night and said I had only progressed to 3-4cm despite having fairly regular contractions things were still slow. So I had a sleep and at 6am the next day they put the 2nd lot of gel in, at 1pm they checked me and said I had made zero progress by now the contractions were hurting I found it hard to believe I was getting no where. Soon after the internal a DR. Showed up and said look it’s bad news your baby is brow presentation, there is no way you can deliver vaginally and this is why you have made little progress. You will need a c/section that is the only way the baby will come out.

I was devastated I begged to try and turn her I wanted to find out some kinda way to get her to move, but they said look this is so rare the baby won’t turn. So while they organised my c/section I cried my eyes out feeling like I had been too impatient and should of let labour come naturally.

At 6pm they took me to theatre and gave me the local anaesthetic and then the epidural which hurt like hell and as they took me into theatre I was struggling to breath, the spinal block was to much and had gone to my neck they gave me oxygen and did another internal, and announced “this baby is not brow presentation, she can deliver vaginally” they asked me what did I want to do, but I was find it hard to breath so talking was out of the question I pointed to the door to get Unal he came in and said “yes she wants a vaginal birth” and with that they stopped everything and took me to the labour ward. Where I laboured for another 10 hours after 10 hours they said yep your fully dilated start pushing, so I did but had to be told when to push by my Unal and the midwife as the epi/spinal block was so heavy, I could hardly feel a thing only my tummy going tight. After 2 hours of pushing, she went to get a doctor who said look you are getting no where you need a c/section…I begged again please no, I can do this, if they would reduce the epidural I would be able to feel more and push more efficiently, I asked about venthouse, forceps etc they said no, nothing will work I must have the c/section and with that was taken back to theatres soon after.

They administered the epidural very slowly after what had happened earlier. The operation started I hated the tugging and pulling but kept the thought my baby would soon be here and I would soon be with her. Unal was at my head talking to me, they pulled Eliza out rushed her around to me for a kiss and took her off to be cleaned and weighed. She was born 10.41am 8/4/06 weighing 8lb 12oz and 52cms. Apgar of 9 and then 10

I started to feel very sick, then I heard them saying she is bleeding, I spoke out and said I am going to vomit by now Unal was at my head again with Eliza but I couldn’t concentrate on them I called out I was going to vomit and at that point they made Unal leave, I was vomiting and bleeding profusely I had 3 surgeons working on me and they were pumping fluid into me to stop the vomiting. I ended up with a blood transfusion of 2 units and lost close to half of my total blood amount. The surgeon came to me head stroked my face and said you are very lucky to still be here young lady well done.

In recovery I was feeling like I had run a marathon I couldn’t breath properly and told them I was struggling to breath, the doctor came and listened to my chest and heard her saying she has fluid on her lungs and needs a diuretic very soon and minutes later they were sorting my lungs out with an iv in my hand, it felt good to breath again, and I was put onto oxygen.

At that point Unal came running into recovery with the baby demanding to know what was going on no one had told him anything the last he had heard was 4 hours prior I was getting a blood transfusion and not to worry they had left him alone with the newborn baby and no updates on me. His eyes were red raw from crying, he thought I was going to die he said the last time I saw you the doctors were screaming at one another to hurry up and stop the bleeding and you were vomiting everywhere.

The poor guy I can’t imagine what he must have gone through with thinking he was going to be a single father. He was told off by recovery for coming to see me and I was in no state to be seen I demanded he stayed and said “look he thought I was going to die give the bloody guy a break let him be with me and his daughter” and they did and I got to breastfeed Eliza for the first time too.

I was then taken to acute care for 24 hours to be observed every 30 minutes to make sure my breathing was stable and the bleeding didn’t happen again.

The next day I was taken to postnatal and allowed visitors and could shower on my own and was able to walk around.

So that is my birth story so not what I had visioned I had my natural water birth planned and no intervention.

Eliza you have given a fantastic three years I love you more than you know You are amazing!

These are two old websites they cover the first 2 years of her life!
Eliza 1st year
Eliza’s 2nd year

suburbanmummuk

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The countryside

So far this weekend has been Brilliant we set off to my friend R’s house Saturday morning her and her family live down in Surrey. We flew down the freeway as one does in the UK lol Jeremiah and Eliza travelled well. Eliza wasn’t sick which was great, first time in a long time. I gave her travel sickness tablets as soon as she woke up and then again shortly before we left., and some ginger biscuits. After those she fell asleep. And Jeremiah had gone to sleep long before. Which I was very grateful about as when he cries I cry and get very stressed and poor Unal spends half his time telling me it will be OK which I know but I hate hearing my kids cry.

I just love the countryside. I love seeing fields I love the fact there is empty spaces. I loved that about Australia as well when we would go on our driving holidays and drive into the Northern Territory and W.A being where there was no one made me crazily happy and gave me a enormous sense of freedom. I am without a doubt a city girl though I need the shops.  And Unal needs to work in a city presently. One day we shall be back in Australia living in the country growing our own veggies lol

Anyway after an hour and a bit we arrived at my friends house it’s truly magnificent and the weather was MEGA hot around 27C  could not of wished for better weather. The kids had a great time playing with one another.  We enjoyed an amazing lunch all prepared by R and had some great conversations with some people there. One guy in particular has a fascinating adventure ahead of him his Name is (click his name to read more about him) Juan Senor and he is a lovely guy and an true inspiration I wish I had spoken more to him, hopefully we shall meet again and I hope his walk is a huge success. I am presently trying to get a hold of his website detailing more of the walk!

So here we are on Sunday with rain and shopping.

We made a trip to Hamleys and bought some bits and bobs we bought some modelling clay. We plan to make animals and paint them and then Eliza can play with them or put them on her shelf. Unal will make the animals he’s very skillful at painting and drawing and things that require attention to detail. And I will paint the faces on to them and apply the colours. Should be fun!

Eliza’s vocabulary is accelerating so fast and she is cracking me up daily. Today she turned up while I was feeding Jeremiah with her DR’s kit and tapped his knees, then she checked my ears. She said “I am a nurse, I will make you better” then she checked Jeremiah’s knees again and then she packed away all her DR stuff and said “OK I have had enough of being a Nurse, I am going to be a Fairy now” I just burst out laughing, she said it so seriously and all I could think of was a real nurse saying that HA HAHAHAH

So I have been looking at our diet and our evening meals and I am just bored and I just feel like I should make more of an effort for Unal and the rest of the family so I sat down with the cookbooks today and my Toddler cook book and I have all our meals planned and I am even going to make breakfast for Eliza and desserts all simple and fast to make but healthy and full of nutrition.

Unal if you are reading don’t be scared I will be following the recipes properly 😀 x

we are watching Lord of the rings. I laugh Unal is always calling me a hobbit as I am small with big feet. The movie reminds me of Australia we went every Boxing day to the cinema to watch them.

Guess I am missing Australia a little bit at the moment spoken twice about it in one entry and I dreamt about it last night. I do love that country for many reasons.  Although watching this movie filmed in NZ is seriously making me want to visit that country. Unal and I both want to see the mountain ranges there. As our families know we love walking and spent our first ever trip together in the mountains and we continued to every year we could.

Hopefully we shall get a weekend of two away soon-ish before the weather turns for the worse! I will be back to add some pictures to this entry. But they are on my other computer!

xx

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