Happy 16th Birthday, my gorgeous son!



I can clearly remember the first time I saw you.......you had glowing red hair and the most beautiful face.  Perfect white skin and the cutest little button nose, just like mine.  And I was so proud to take you home and show you off to everyone, because you were such a beautiful baby.  I fondly remember feeding you and the wonderful feeling of looking down at you, as you lay your tiny little hand on my chest. 

Then you started to grow into the most wonderful little boy.  And although I never always said it, I have always been so incredibly proud of you.  The thing I love most is just how kind you are, and what a big heart you have.  I have seen the concern on your face when you realised that a begger was hungry and you rushed to get them left overs to eat.  You have something very special in your heart, and I love you more because of it.

It was not easy leaving you behind, and I sometimes wish things could have turned out differently.  But I guess this is what life is all about, it twists and turns and never quite works out the way we would like it to.  And sometimes although bad things happen, which seem pretty rubbish we look back and understand why they happened in the first place. 

Having been 16 myself once a long time ago, I know what a mess we are because our hormones play havoc with our heads....so I hope that you understand that some of the crazy things going on in your body and in your head, all come down to you changing from a boy into a man, and that they will pass. 

I wish you a wonderful year ahead, and I look so forward to seeing you again soon, because I miss you more than I can express in words.

I love you so much my baby boy, because that is what you will always be, no matter how old you are.

"You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." ~Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

A friend forever

Friendship has become a very loose term, especially now that the world has gone global and people are on social networks like facebook where they are friends with people they may have briefly met, might not have seen since school, or just random strangers who make them look like they are fairly popular!

However, if you are lucky in your lifetime to make true friends, and I am talking about the real connection that you have with someone that can span over years, miles and any and every possible life crises, a connection that can be stronger than marriage or just an unspoken understanding about the depth and love that you hold for each other. 

I am blessed to have many friends in my life, but I have one special friend who I have known a life time.  We live miles apart, and we have for years.  In some form or shape, life has put distance between us.  But this has made no difference to the quality of friendship that we share. 

We met on a building site when we were little girls.  We were playing in the sand together and even from the first day, we just clicked.  I just knew I had met my best friend!  She was just the kind of friend a little girl like me needed. 

My dear friend Colleen,

At a time when things were not very good in my home, you and your wonderful family, took me under your wings and kept me feeling safe and happy and made me see just how wonderfully normal a family can be.  My best memories from those days, all happened in your happy home, or have some connection back to you.  I loved to come and stay on weekends and holidays, and I was always made so welcome.  To this day, my favourite breakfast was the syrup on toast with sweet coffee that your mom would serve us in bed.  I loved playing dress up and office and school and all the fun things we used to do.  I loved the silly jokes you used to tell me. 

I don't remember much about my childhood, but what I do remember is all connected to you, seeing The Rescuers with you and your mom at the drive in and laying on the carpet listening to War of the worlds.  I remember playing in your back garden and picking the fruit off the trees and eating it.  It was the sweetest I ever tasted.  I remember your Dads delicious pineapple beer which he used to make, and then give us a little glass, which would make us giggle alot!  I still laugh at how silly and crazy we were as teenagers in the 80's when we had such big hair and we wore funny clothes.  Or we just did crazy things.  I loved walking to the movies and having lunch with you on a Saturday afternoon.  I had the best fun with you.  I just loved being with you.

When we grew up and life started to take most of our attention, getting married, building our homes and raising our families, although we were not always together, you were certainly in my heart.  You have always been there with a shoulder to cry on, and to help me through whatever crises was going on in my life.  You have never judged me or turned your back on me, even when I have not always made the right decisions or when I have made some pretty awful mistakes in my life.  Instead you have allowed me to learn the lesson, and be there at the end of it with encouragement and support.

You too, have had so much heartbreak, so much happen, and I just hope that I have managed to make the same impact on you, that you have made on me.  You are the best friend anyone could ever ask for.  And the past 35 years of our friendship means so much to me.  I love you so much my friend. And brace yourself for another 35 because I am not joking when I say, you and me are going to be crinkly old granny's, sitting having tea, laughing about the pitter patter pitter patter mouse joke!   Have a wonderful year, I just know its going to be grand! 

Your friend forever xxx

"What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies."


- Aristotle

been there, got the t-shirt!

My daughter turned 19 yesterday, and unfortunatly I was not able to spend the day with her.  Its the first birthday I have missed since she was born.  I live 12 000km away from her and will probably miss out on many of the milestones that she will encounter over the next year.  Learning to drive, getting a licence, finding a job, studying and all the ups and downs that go along with growing up.  Although I wont be there for all those things, I have had the pleasure of being part of many many other milestones she has crossed through her life and had the pleasure of watching her grow from a spec on a scan into the most beautiful women. 

This will be the only time in her life when she is exactly, half my age, which makes me think back to what I was doing at 19.  This time 19 years ago I was bringing her home wrapped in a soft receiving blanket, and putting her into the white and pink cane cot that had been specially made for her.  I was a young mother and had absolutely no idea of the events that would unfold over 19 years to get me to the point where I am today.  So to celebrate the last 19 years of bringing up my daughter, I would like to put together a few things I learnt over the last 19 years as a guide to a young women going out into the world today, and hopefully these words of wisdom will see her through some serious times and save her from making some of the silly mistakes I have made in my life.

The most valuable lesson I learnt was from my mom, she was usually always right and looking back on it now, I should have taken her advice more!

That there are at least 3 sides to every story, and then there is the truth.

That no matter how much you trust or think you know someone, you might still get terribly dissapointed.

That no man should be put before a good friendship, because most the time, relationships with partners change, whereas good friends usually stay friends regardless.

That having money doesnt buy class. 

That buying a house is not necessarily always the best investment in a relationship.  It comes with loads of responsibility and requires a lot more money than you can ever plan for.

That when people love you, they will do whatever it takes to make sure your needs are met.  They will not give you what you want, but what you need, and there is a huge difference between the two!

That money does not, fix money problems.  If you cannot look after your money, no matter how much you earn, it will never be enough.

That anyone can seem like they have it all, its just a matter of telling the right story!

That having simple things was probably the most fun I ever had! 

That people always remember the people who worked hardest!

That business carry's on whether you are there or not.  Every job is replaceable.

That even in adulthood you still dont always know what you are meant to be doing, sometimes your purpose on this earth is just to live a life.

That having the best of everything is a never ending quest, because tomorrow something better is bound to come along.

That whoever loves the least in a relationship holds all the control.

And, That no matter how good or bad it is right now, its going to change! 

And that is my advice in a nutshell......

I love you darling, I wish you everything you need.