Shine A Little Light

It's time once again to pause, reflect and give thanks on the week that was (again late!)

With things back on a slightly more even keep than the have been in the past few weeks ... I should be back on track in a fortnight to start posting these wonderful lists on a Sunday evening.

1. I am grateful for the time and space that my partner's business trips bring.

2. I am grateful that I had my mother in law here to share the job of keeping Mr D amused while his Daddy was away.

3. I am grateful for high school crushes and the interesting twists they bring to life 20 years later.

4. I am grateful that the IGA down the road opens at 6am for emergency supplies of flour.

5. I am grateful that I am still moderating my sugar in take and continuing on my path as the amazing shrinking woman.

6. I am grateful for long cool glasses of mineral water and easy conversation.

7. I am grateful the Mr D is finally settling into kindy and enjoying himself.

8. I am grateful for kindy gym.

9. I am grateful for routines that fall into place without any thought or effort.

10. I am grateful for both my writing roles at Type A Mom and Write Anything for creating some structure to my writing week.

11. I am grateful for the writing courses that the Queensland Writer's Centre puts on.

12. I am grateful to have a business partner and writing colleague in Paul Anderson, and all the wonderful gifts he brings to these collaborations ... as well as being a wonderful friend.

13. I am grateful that after all this time Chinese Whisperings is starting to move forward and gain momentum.

14. I am grateful for the gifts that the Universe lavishes me with and for the moments of synchronicity.

What are you grateful for this week?

It's time to give gratitude and thanks for the week that was (very very late I know)

1. I am grateful that I horded clothes for years and was able to donate them to the Victorian bushfire survivors. I thought that I was saving them for a rainy day - seems I was waiting for a fire storm. In doing this I was able to consolidate some of the trauma I felt from the '83 Ash Wednesday bush fires.

2. I am grateful that Dylan is back at kindy full time.

3. I am grateful that I am beginning to refill my cup again.

4. I am grateful that I have my mother-in-law staying while my beloved is away.

5. I am grateful for beer at the pub and conversations about quantum physics.

6. I am grateful that I collaborate with writers who are as crazy as I am.

7. I am grateful that I can say 'I love you' to my sister.

What are you grateful for this week?

It's taken me two days to work up to writing this post. In the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires I've felt guilty about coming here to write what I have anything to be grateful for, when so many others have lost more than I can ever imagine.

I am grateful that all my family and friends, both north and south are alive, safe from fire and floods and have their homes intact. I am also grateful that out of the death, destruction and anguish that a family rift has been healed. We've been estranged from my aunt's family for the past 16 years. The fires around the Whittlesea area were the impetus for my Mum to pick up the phone and ring her sister. Now there's a new chapter to look foward to in our family history - when chapters for other families are closing forever.

My heart and thoughts go out to not just the victims of this weekend's fires, but the survivors from Ash Wednesday in 1983 and Black Friday in 1939 - who must be reliving the horror all over again.

Tomorrow I will be going through our wardrobes for clothes and Mr D's room for toys to put with loads of other donations being shipped to Melbourne from Brisbane. I will also be donating blood next week. I am grateful that I have a chance to give something despite being so far away.

It's time again to give thanks for the week that was.

1. I am grateful that I am still awake to write this post - it seems to be a mammoth effort. But I am here.

2. I am grateful that we not only survived, but enjoyed our first camping trip away as a family.

3. I am grateful for the natural beauty that is so close to Brisbane.

4. I am grateful that I am fit enough to almost climb to the top of a crazy mini mountain. Check out the facebook photo.

5. I am grateful for having partaken in some sugary food and drink last week and discovered as a consequence that sugar now gives me a hideous headache. Now I have something else to sure up my resolve to stay away from the nasty substance.

6. I am grateful for Annie's folks for putting us up at their place for two nights.

7. I am grateful to Annie for inviting us all up to the Stanthorpe show and to revel in the excitement, via Dylan, that I once had for the carnival during summer as a child.

8. I am grateful that I am still crazy enough to consider the dodge 'em cars great fun and even more grateful that the head on collision I had didn't give me a sore neck like I feared it may have.

9. I am grateful that Dave's Mum is here allowing me some time to really get stuck into my anthology editing.

10. I am grateful for the new insight for a theme for my anthology and for the new challenges it poses to the creation of the anthology.

11. I am grateful that the weather has cooled a little and that the rain held off for my washing to get dry today - no more smokey camp fire smell infusing our clothing.

12. I am grateful that my internet is running at full speed again.

13. I am grateful to be doing the Artist Way with old friends and new ones, and to have Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach complimenting the wisdom of Julia Cameron.

14. I am grateful that I was able to devour Twilight despite having a busy weekend and spending one night without electric lighting! It will be easy to hit my February target of two books - though I might not learn much about good writing, just a little about the trascendence of a brilliant story over clumsy and immature writing!

15. I am grateful to Tallula for putting us onto the brilliant camping store - so I could get a camp fry pan, a toaster for the open fire and a few other necessities that large franchises don't bother to stock.

What are you grateful for this week past?