Gratitude: Week 4

This week when I sat down to write my weekly gratitude post, I initially struggled to think of something to be grateful for. I've already told you how wonderful my Mum and sister are, and as for Sir Pinkying - that's a post for a different week :)

This week has been particularly busy in my "day" job, and we've continued the very disheartening "house hunt". But there has been one thing that has been able to put a smile on my face everyday this week. I should tell you all now that I love music, it's a part of almost every single day of my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

This week my gratitude is about these folks (and the ones who create them)

For anyone who has been away from the "modern" world (perhaps under a rock, or on the moon), Glee is a show by Fox in the US (which runs on Channel 10 here in Australia) about a high school Glee club. They sing a FANTASTIC mix of 80's power ballads, pop, songs from musicals and rock. All with great vocal rearrangements. In the most recent episodes they've done "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen, "Firework" by Katy Perry, "Sing" by My Chemical Romance.

The music is fantastic it gets my toes tapping, peps up my energy and puts a smile on my face every time. And don't even get me started on what happens when I'm listening alone in my car..... I just have to remember not to sing too loudly when I've got the windows down! :)

Here's a little sample for any of you who have missed this brilliant show. Hope it makes you happy too :)

Thoughts turn to New Zealand

I'm quite sure that I'm not the only one who has been watching with horror the events unfolding in New Zealand. Sir Pinkying and I went there in September of last year, and although we didn't go to Christchurch, we did go to Kaikouri slightly north of the city.

September of last year when we were there was only about 2 weeks after they had the first significant earthquake, there were some roads that were still blocked but the people seemed to be getting on with life.

This new quake happened at the worst possible time - it was the middle of the day, office workers were out getting lunch, or at their desks and the city was busy. It is tragic and our collective Australian hearts go out to them.

As small nations at "the ends of the Earth" there is a long and abiding friendship between Australia and New Zealand, I heard someone today call them our ANZAC siblings, and that is really true. We share a common spirit, so in times like these I believe that we feel a common grief.

So tonight I'm thinking of all our New Zealand siblings, our quilting sisters and their loved ones.

Gratitude: Week 3

So after a couple of weeks of fairly BIG gratitude topics, this week I want to focus on something a bit more fun.

It's been a fairly hectic week, work is busy, we're trying to get ready to move house so that means we're rushing around every weekend looking at places, and it really is just one thing after another. It doesn't leave much time for quilting, which is kind of ironic, because what I really need to do is find some time to do something relaxing, like quilting.

So, this week I am grateful for my rotary cutter! I finally found about 2 hours last night spare and I got a surprising amount of cutting done. I'm making some place mats for after we've moved, it's a good way to not have to think about the moving! :) I got all of the backgrounds cut out, and most of the individual coloured strips too. I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I'd had to do it all by hand!

In this time pressured world, I really am grateful for having tools like the rotary cutter! How about you guys, what tools do you love??

I'm a lucky girl!

So, as I'm sure you're all aware, today is Valentine's Day.

I really love the sentiment of Valentine's Day, a chance to take some time out from day to day life to acknowledge how good things are. Sir Pinkying and I decided that we would celebrate over the weekend rather than cramming it into a day when we both had to work.

My present was a surprise, all I had been told was that we would be going for a drive on Sunday, that casual comfortable clothes would be fine and there was no need for a wet weather plan. I was curious to say the least, and spent two sold days trying to quiz him for more information (I really do put him in an impossible position - I like surprises, but I love trying to figure things out!)

So, Sunday morning arrives, wet and rainy, and off we go. Initially we were heading in a direction that could have been taking us anywhere but then gradually we approached an area that I was familiar with. An area where there is only ONE thing that I can think of there.... a QUILT SHOP!

That's right, Sir Pinkying drove me to my favourite quilt shop!! :) but wait, it gets better... he PAID for me to do some shopping!!!! :)

After much consideration and browsing of the aisles, this what I got (that front one is actually a light green spot on white)

They are mostly prints by Art Gallery Fabrics, it started with this print
and then I saw this one that I also really liked and after that I just added some blenders... I think I will do something fairly simple... I kind of thinking something made from horizontal lines of fabric.... different widths all randomised....
We'll see, I've already changed my mind twice since I got the fabric!

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day too

Gratitude: Week 2

The beginning of 2011 has been tough for many Australians, there has been terrible flash floods in Queensland, further flooding in Victoria, then Queensland got hit by the strongest cyclone in living memory and now there are significant bush fires in Western Australia.

It has been without a doubt a very harrowing time for thousands of Australians.

This week I am grateful for the fact that we have been able, in most circumstances, give people sufficient warning of the oncoming storm. It has been really something to be grateful for that we have been able to get people out of their houses and into emergency shelters before the worst came through. The media, police, local councils, state premiers, the SES and countless others have been able to help warn people and get them to safety. We've also seen tremendous examples of "mate ship" with thousands of people volunteering to help clean up for people affected by the events that have taken place.

It is tragic that some lives were lost, and thousands of people are in temporary housing while they wait to see if they will be able to return to their homes, but Australians are strong and resilient people and we will clean up, and people will move forward with their lives, and as a country we will be better for it.

Gratitude

Gratitude - n. being thankful or appreciative

I remember a number of years ago that Oprah had a program that encouraged everyone to keep a gratitude journal, the goal was to write down something, or five somethings, everyday that you were grateful for. I personally believe that taking a few moments of time to be grateful and to express that gratitude is something that everyone should do.

Often I feel grateful for things, but I never really share them, so here's the plan (and I'll be the first one to admit that it's not an original plan!) each week I am going to share one thing that I'm grateful for. It doesn't have to be a big thing, it can be something small, or at the other end of the scale, it might be something monumental! :)

Now, I'm sure that it hasn't escaped your attention that we're already in the first week of February, which means that I'm about 4 posts behind - so I'm going to try and catch those up too! I even have a beautiful button to use with the posts

TA-DA!

Today I'm going to share my first gratitude: My Mum and my sister

I come from a relatively small family, and while we (the womenfolk) of the family don't always agree on everything (we've been called "robust debaters" before!) I would not be the woman I am today if it were not for them. Over the years they have been there while I studied, they've watched over me as I prepared for exams, they've come to graduations, and quilt shows, and theatre productions, they've designed blog buttons for me (thanks!), they've travelled with me... the list really is endless. That's before you even get into the things that I've learnt from them, if not for them I wouldn't be able to cook, wouldn't be able to SEW, wouldn't be able to read... there are so many things that I love and enjoy in my life that have come straight from them! So today I'm grateful for my Mum and my sister :)


So how about you guys? What are you grateful for today? Who else wants to join me with posting a gratitude each week?