i'm grateful for . . . 'a liberating & genuinely hearty week of imperfection'

Greetings all,

I'm just so thrilled you came along on my week of imperfections with the right attitude, laughing with me at my mistakes, mishaps & silly choices . . . thank you, i needed it!!
I've had a particularly challenging headspace, with more Australian soldiers shot in Afghanistan . . . i've been distracting myself with Christmas shopping, friends & my website (open next week).  Then the very sobering experience that is Remembrance Day yesterday.  I went to 3 ceremonies in a row - the War Memorial; primary school (my girls were hosting); then my eldest daughter's college, with a catered lunch where i was the only uncoupled adult, so the gorgeous principal sat with me.  My husband would have been so proud to watch our children yesterday.  He loves my imperfections, i'm the opposite of his strict world of dogmatic routine & military precision, my inability to be perfect is what he loves about me the most!!??  It's amazing what a laugh can fix!! 
The ceremony at the War Memorial had hiccups . . . an ambulance took one of the gentlemen from the Australian Men's Rugby Choir away; a sailor passed out (i heard the crack of his body on the parade ground 50m away); & a sweet mum in the VIP area had her toddler run off onto the parade ground.  FYI no one walks on the parade ground in a proper military ceremony!!

 Our extremely impressive Governor General Quentan Bryce, laying a wreath, exquisite as always in speech, ensemble & occasion.

 The Prime Minister, being none of those things.

 The Federation Guard is a full time ceremonial unit made up of Navy, Army & Air Force. 

 I was trying to find a soldier with my husband's rank to show you what he looks like on parade.

 The Air Force have such an advantage with their uniform, nice colours to work with.

 The Royal Military College Band - check out the leopard skin drum (i think he's a Drum Major) but honestly, i really don't have a clue. 

Once they leave the parade ground, the officer who marches them off, hands over to the non commissioned officer in charge, who (between shouting commands) thanks everyone for their efforts.  I haven't seen my husband on parade for years, but he'd be the one out the front with the pacestick, yelling.So there you have it, imperfection focus over & back to my little successes in life. 
For more weekly Gratefuls, check out Maxabella Loves, love Posie  

i'm grateful for . . . 'my papa's health & great fathers'

Greetings all,

This weekend's I'm Grateful For is . . . my papa's health - he's all clear from mid week cataract surgery.  Not normally a nervous man & he loves medical intervention, however, with 50% sight in his other eye, this was confronting, if it didn't go well, where would his eye sight be??  As it happens, the surgery corrected his eye so well, after 65 years of wearing glasses . . . he doesn't need them anymore.  He was excitedly telling me it's like a celebrity eye makeover, ok Dad, what was he reading in the waiting room??!!

I'm thinking of sweet Jane at Life on Planet Baby blog, as she lost her father this week.  I'm so lucky . . . pace makers, stents, bolts & now plastic in his eyes . . . i'm fortunate to still have this amazing positive influence in my world.  Our eldest chose 'Grandad' as the star of her recent history assignment (like a relic) & we all learned from his incredible memory details of his first jobs, long career in the Navy & above all, his love for our mother, who needs him more than ever (Alzheimer's Disease).  The assignment scored an A+ for the most interesting presentation & credit to Grandad. 

FYI he thinks the most important invention in his life time has been the Jumbo Jet - world wide travel should be for everyone.  Right on Dad!!  He was born in the 1930's Depression in Australia, raised in poverty & joined the Navy to see the world - good thing he did as he met Mum in England, otherwise, we wouldn't be here!!  He took us around the world a dozen times on Jumbo Jets during our school years. 

 I love the expression "to be a great Father to your children, you just need to love their Mother".   

We might go months between visits but my father loves how affectionate our children are, like we saw them yesterday.  Our first born is named after him, she considers herself 'the favourite'. 

The saying 'Daddys' girls marry their Fathers' is creepy but true.  I might not have realised it 15 years ago - but . . . right down to the hearing loss, bad ankles & supreme sense of responsibility like military service, i did exactly that.  No need to tell you what a great father my husband is to our 4 children, i bang on about it enough on this blog. 

 

 Getting sick of my Lego soldier series yet??  There are more.

My husband is VERY aware of how much time he spends away from this little bloke, how it affects him & how he'll grow up to be a fantastic father too.  I think it's quality.  My father was in the Navy for 30+ years, my brothers are amazing husbands & fathers.  Dad is the true patriach of our family, his greatest joy was having 4 children, who created a generation of 14 grandchildren.  He'd like me to add 'we're not Catholic' - he was raised Church of England, that was very important to him, that he was NOT Irish Catholic. 

When my husband is home, he's "home", he can't exactly practise soldiering in suburban Canberra . . . it's like my father - he couldn't exactly park an air craft carrier in our pool . . . it's ALL about quality when they're home - mucking around with wood & nails in the shed, to baking sponges & licking the beaters in the kitchen.  Love Posie

things i'm loving 'royals, weddings & princesses'

Greetings all,

Oh what else could i possibly be loving this week more than the Royal Wedding.  My mother is English & a huge lover of all things royal, my father was a commander in the Royal Australian Navy & has a poster of the Queen in his walk in robe!!  I think of the public duty & charity the Royals conduct, that makes them relevant.  My husband is in the Royal Australian Army & will wear crowns as his rank, not stars or bars.  I don't want a republic.
Here's to weddings . . . i loved our wedding, we had so much fun, we want to do it again & actually eat this time.  We were young, relaxed, it suited where we were in life (me - a university student & my husband - a Lance Corporal), we didn't have much money but we had plenty of stylish short cuts. 

We paid for the dress - Tour in Strand Arcade Sydney, i still love it, it was a ballgown not a wedding dress, my best friend 'Sindy' showed it to me in Vogue magazine & I said "OMG, can i wear it??" - yes, she's still my best friend even though i stole her dream wedding dress.  My daughters want to wear it too.  We paid for the flowers - simple table displays of iris & conflowers.  Great tip - the florist said to use my bouquet as a display on the main table (clever!!)  We paid for the music - string quartet from Sydney Uni & a DJ.  We paid for the photographer - a school friend's mother was a professional photographer & i wanted them all pretty candid & fun, so she was only around until food was served, i LOVED her photos, they really captured the love.  I only had a flower girl (a niece), no bridesmaids & my husband had a best man, perfect balance.  My husband wore a tuxedo, not his dress uniform which at the time, didn't have many fancy bits & pieces.  Looking at William & Harry, how fantastic are their uniforms, i love pomp & ceremony. 

We got married at my parents home 14 years ago, it poured with rain, so we had the ceremony in the marquee with everyone sitting at their table instead of in the backgarden standing around us.  We didn't require cars & as i don't drink, i drove us home.  As per tradition, my parents paid for the venue/ marquee & catering, my in-laws paid for the alcohol.  The dinner was a full buffet of seafood & every possible meat in the world.  Our wedding cake was chocolate mud cake with white chocolate ganache, two squares - one smaller square placed on top of a larger square cake, with fresh oriental lillies to match my bouquet.  So pretty, simple, elegant.
Clever tip - we had just moved in together a couple of weeks earlier & went home, cleaned up the car & slept.  The next day we went to the Hotel InterContinental (where Oprah stayed on her Sydney visit) so we could enjoy the WHOLE stay.  The next day we went to my parents, met all our immediate family again, in the same marquee & ate left overs, while we opened the presents.  That evening we went to the airport for our European Honeymoon.  Honestly, it was so well planned to do it over 3 days like that, as you can probably tell, i don't rush anything.

Now when i say i was relaxed - i was still swimming 2 hours before the ceremony & hanging ivy up the marquee poles (much to my mother's horror).  My sister did my make up & hair, i wore an Alice band of cornflowers (i'm blue to the core!!)  Sorry, i will show you my husband's face when he retires - i didn't marry a post it note.         

 I was determined to carry a bouquet of Oriental Lillies, even if my father said they were funeral flowers.  Don't get me wrong, my father had me married off to handsome soldier after their first meeting, he didn't do the "you don't have to do this" speech either, he ran me down the aisle.  Oh nice little touch - i handed my bouquet to my mummy to hold during the ceremony & gave it away to my big sister at the end, i didn't toss it.  At both these moments, i cried but during the ceremony i couldn't stop smiling.  We didn't write our own vows, just chose a sweet version our celebrant offered us & i chose to "love, honour & respect". 

 Being married is so important to me, i love having a husband & being a wife.  My husband & i are very affectionate, our children notice & have always married off their toys.  Above is Blip Robot with his wife Bun Bun.  I know, i was puzzled too when my son said "oh, i would love one of those bunny rabbits with the moustache, Blip needs a wife".  Not really sure what to say about that one other than you never know what on earth your child is thinking.

 On my way back from my Queensland holiday, i stopped by Retro Mummy & here is her middle daughter, Princess Tillie.  I have no issue at all with my girls dreaming of princesses & fairy tale endings.  What's the harm when they are confident, self assured & intelligent women??

I love my girls' bedrooms, they are a little bit modern, a little bit mid century & a little bit princess.  For more Things I'm Loving, check out Paisley Jade today.  Love Posie
PS totally loved The Beckhams ensemble at the wedding & oh wow, THE WEDDING DRESS, glorious!!  Are the Middletons all super models??  That is how my in-laws looked at our wedding, all stunningly gorgeous, tall & slim - if you were wondering where my children get their genetics from, they are true McClellands.