Shine A Little Light

This week it's been the end of my creative year and the beginning (today) of a new one. It's also been ridiculously hot and humid for Brisbane, and the end of my love affair with the school holidays.

Having said that - it's the time of the week to look back and give thanks for the week that was.

1. I am grateful for airconditioning - I cannot believe that I am writing that as my number one for this week, but it's totally and utterly true. Those who know me wont believe it. I've lost my Cairns fortitude for the humidity.

2. I am grateful that I am look back and give thanks on my first year of writing .. and to also offer thanks to those who have travelled that path with me.

3. I am grateful that yesterday there was some quiet time to make card to say thank you!

4. I am grateful that I know my limitations and boundaries and that I can ask for help when needed.

5. I am grateful that I am bleeding today - one more day of PMT and the family would have relocated.

6. I am grateful that I can create a Red Tent in my head and retreat there.

7. I am grateful for good friends, good good and conversation.

8. I am grateful that it is the Year of the Ox and I feel fantastic about it!

9. I am grateful that Mr Dave and Dave spending time together is win-win-win for all of us.

10. I am grateful for discovering the pink bubbles that Annie left behind.

11. I am grateful to my beautiful friend Michelle for opening her home to us last week and allowing us to romp and play in the surf.

12. I am grateful also to my friend for Michelle for being flexible and allowing Mr D to camp out under the massage table so I could have my KaHuna body work and still allow Mr D to have the connection and sense of safety he needed.

13. I am grateful that childeren tell the truth - there are no veils, not deceptions - all you have to do is listen!

14. I am grateful that I will only have to sit through the Tale of Desperaux ONCE!

What are you grateful for this week?

It's time again to reflect back on the week that was and give gratitude and thanks.

This week it's a bit tough, as I sit here (a day late), in a less than gracious mood, being hassled by Mr D to make porridge (because they had porridge on Sesame Street) to be grateful, but I'll give it a try.

1. I am grateful for making this weekly post, because it forces me to be grateful when I'd rather be writing a list of things to be p*ssed off about!

2. I am grateful to have a new writing and editing gig at Type-A Mom in the breastfeeding section.

3. I am grateful that the Universe always knows the best place to put me - that breastfeeding is probably a far better (and safer option) for me to be in, than birth.

4. I am grateful that I might actually earn some money from writing or editing.

5. I am grateful that my partner has a sense of humour and can tease me about my friendship with Paul - calling him 'my other boyfriend' - without any element of jealousy.

6. I am grateful that my profile as a writer is increasing.

7. I am grateful that I've enjoyed most of the school holidays.

8. I am grateful that we are on the count down to the start of the kindy year (with Orientation morning this Thursday).

9. I am grateful that Mr D has been asking when kindy starts again - missing it makes m hopefuly that the transition back in will be easier than last year.

10. I am grateful for really cool, free public activities like Disco Puppy at the Ipswich Art Centre.

11. I am grateful that Mr D and I will be spending the day together doing fun stuff on Thursday.

12. I am grateful my nephew really liked the the Wedgeits that we got him for his birthday.

13. I am grateful that I am now in a better mood for having written this list!

What are you grateful for this week?

It's that time of the week again when I pause, ponder and give thanks for the week that was - and encourage you to do the same.

1. I am grateful that Pluto is out of Sagittarius and that Jupiter is moving into Aquarius - for I now feel freer and lighter, expansive and confident that I have in - well I can't remember when!

2. I am grateful for IKEA and the fact that my partner and son can assemble the flat packs without too much trouble.

3. I am grateful for Facebook hooking me out with long lost friends. I feel truly blessed.

4. I am grateful for having wonderful writing colleagues such as Annie and Paul.

5. I am grateful for having decided to compile and anthology of my short stories even though it is currently a painful process of editing and rewriting which I wish would just end. I know the end product will be worth it.

6. I am grateful to all the friends I have in Brisbane who expect nothing of me other than my friendship.

6. I am grateful that Rachael turned 40 recently - so she could have a cracking party at the Jazz Club last night.

7. I am grateful that I have given up sugar (it is now 12 days but I'm not counting) I have currently lost almost 2.5kg and it continues to drop off.

8. I am grateful that my digestive functions are getting a change to return to normal after years of abuse.

9. I am grateful that I didn't have a hangover this morning - though there was definitely a threat of it.

10. I am grateful that there seem to be enough job opportunities out there to keep my darling partner bouyed in his efforts to find a new job. I might even say one day that I am grateful to Rio Tinto for making him redundant and slashing 90% of the old Alcaneng workforce.

11. I am grateful that I have wanderlust - this means that it isn't so daunting to have a partner applying for jobs in the United Arab Emirates.

12. I am grateful to be right here, right now.

13. I am grateful that we can go to the movies and get tickest, pop corn and a frozen drink for less than $20. The Balmoral Theatre rocks!

14. I am grateful that I chose to have a down year last year and am now ready to attack this year with passionate abandon.

There's been some massive shifts in the astrological energy of late. Pluto moved out of Sagittarius ( hurray!) and into Capricorn late last year. Now Jupiter has moved into Aquarius where it will spend the rest of this year. I wouldn't normally go on too much about feeling 'shifts' etc but this time I have definitely felt the moves. That's probably not surprisingly considering that I am a Sagittarian and part of me is very glad to see the last of Pluto in my sun sign. Pluto is revolutionary and evolutionary and I'm certainly a stronger person for having survived 12 years of the Lord in my sun sign. Pluto for me feels like a heavy weight bearing down on you - at best a wet blanket. In terms of Jupiter and Aquarius - I have my natal Jupiter in Aquarius. Jupiter is also the ruling planet of Sagittarius.

Lots of things from the past few years that have seemed unmoveable or beyond my emotional resilience have, literally, just dissolved away. And part of my wonders what the big deal was? There is enough residual to remember that it was a big deal, yet now it seems hard to really comprehend how hard and difficult it was (a little like labouring I guess). I feel light, unfettered and free of the baggage of the past. It feels good!

Now with Jupiter slipping into Aquarius I am already feeling the expansion through there. Aquarius falls in my 11th house mainly, so a very Jupiter feel hitting on goals, friends, community. For the first time in a year I feel not just ready to crawl out of last years cocoon and meet the world, but feel more like my happy go lucky self. Ready to have adventures and do slightly bizarre things. Like my trip to Ikea today.

Mr D went off with Annie and her tribe, while I was planning to dump my flat packs at home, pick up my computer and go back to Annie's house. When I got to the car I realised I needed someone else to help me get the largest flat pack into the car. Looking across to the neighbouring car, I could see that there were two teenage boys there. After a few more attempts of sliding it into the wagon by myself I resolved to go over and ask a lend of a son.

If this were last year I would have thought it, cringed away from it and just battled with the flat pack.

Luck (Jove?) was on my side, because the lady with the teenage boys saw me and asked if I'd like help and sent one of the boys to lend me a hand. Then it was my turn to lend a hand.

Getting flat packs, your other assorted loose items, all your children and yourself into the car can be the real life equivalent to 3D tetris. I could hear one of the boys saying 'It's not going to fit Mum.' I was invited over to have a look and give my ideas on how it might all fit in. It didn't take long to realise that no amount of creative thinking, laying down of seats of squeezing in was going to make it all fit in. They decided that they'd need to go back upstairs and organise to have it delivered.

I couldn't help myself: "Where do you live?"

As it turned out quite a distance from where I was heading, but factoring in Mr D at Annie's place, and ignoring my 'need' for my computer (as opposed to my 'need' for a good excuse to swear off editing a short story today!) their place was actually near to where I was going. So I ended up taking Meg's flat packs in my car, followed her home to her place and voila! And the generosity worked both ways - with Meg's very generous donation towards fuel. Thanks Meg!

It's the sort of crazy thing I would never have contemplated a few months ago. I would have scurried back into my car and left - probably beating myself up on the way home for not at least offering to help. In doing this not only did I help someone out but stepped out of my comfort zone to meet someone new. How exciting!

So the Universe works in strange ways ... and, if being totally honest, I'm glad to have been made a deposit in my karma bank.

When Mystic Medusa's site goes live again (she's currently in the process of upgrarding and shifting things across into their new format) I'll post a link for some great information regarding what to expect from Jupiter in Aquarius and the impending Mercury Retrograde that kicks off over the weekend.

It's that time of the week again when it's time to pause, ponder and give thanks for the week that was.

This week was one of those lovely quiet weeks where life gets put on hold for a while and you can just hang out. It was also the week that saw one door closing and another on opening.

1. I am grateful that my neighbours are happy to co-exist happily beside me, without the need for storming my sovereign territory and exerting the idea of rulership over me.
2. I am grateful to see the end of 2008 and to embrace a new year. One that I feel offers all manner of wonderful opportunities to grow as a person, a mother, a partner and a writer.
3. I am grateful for having been able to see the dawn of a new year - and to have a pool in which to take a dip in as the sun rises on that very first morning.
4. I am grateful for having written enough stories to compile a professional anthology of short stories this month.
5. I am grateful for having the skills to be able to create above mentioned self publishing ventures and to share those skills with my fellow writers.
6. I am grateful for the fact that my connection to the creative stream has been strong.
7. I am grateful for a new year, for resolutions, action plans and the likes that provide ample fodder for blog posts and keeping goals of writing every day.
8. I am grateful to a wonderful partner who helped to clean and tidy the house over the weekend - grateful that we're almost there!
9. I am grateful that play dates have resumed and that the holidays are almost half over. And to think that I was worried that I wasn't going to cope?
10. I am grateful that we've decided to take a more active role socially and will enjoy many more wonderful bbq and social gatherings in our home and beyond.
11. I am grateful for my 4c a day funding of the ABC (Aunty) - it's the cheapest babysitting especially on New Years Day.
12. I am grateful that my partner had lots of time off over the festive season and had a chance to reconnect with Mr D.
13. I am grateful for being busy!
    

What are you grateful for this week?

You can find Give me the Grateful Life at Merlot's Mum, where the original idea comes from.

Image found at Powerful Intentions