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New Year To Do List
I’ve been in a bit of a rather unattractive and sweaty, sick fug for the past few days. Unfortunately I packed ‘la gripe’ (flu) in my suitcase when we left France and it has ravaged my pathetic defenceless body with hot sweats, aching limbs, headaches and a chesty cough for the past few days. Uncharacteristically,…
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Experiment To Create The Perfect Family Christmas
Wine, cheese and baguette – what more do I need? (Photo credit: Virtual Eric) Apparatus: A beautiful old barn conversion nestled invitingly in rural Brittany, France. Perpetual rain. Unlimited supplies of alcohol. Vats of food (to include the annual carb allowance for the whole of the western world in French bread). 14 blood-related family members…
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Come Fly With Me
I haven’t changed my opinion about flying. English: Taken on Singapore Airlines Flight 866 bound for Hong Kong. Pictured is the now old Raffles Class on the upper deck of a Boeing 747-412. Excellent service provided by the friendly crew of Singapore Airlines. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Being treated like cattle and herded into a confined…
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The Final Frontier…..Maybe
Marmite small v106 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) As 2012 draws to a close, the New Year brings the prospect of auspicious change and new adventure to our dysfunctional unit of four. The adventure kicks off with a trip back to the Motherland; the land that we try to forget, (at least until we catch a whiff…
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Those Sneaky Little Anxiety Demons
Fear of the unknown is a paralyzing experience for people with anticipatory anxiety. Imagine a life of perceived catch 22 situations for almost every decision considered, and you might attain some inkling of how the mind of the anxious ticks. While part of the brain says to strive forward and conquer the world, the other…
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Qantas Stole My Husband’s Look
English: David Beckham Nederlands: David Beckham (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The old man is always keen to impress today’s youth with his handle on current fashion trends. If boating shoes, seedy jeans and a comfortable tee-shirt have really been en vogue for the past thirty years, then maybe he is onto something after all, but I…
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No-One Touches My Christmas Tree!
christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi) Got to admit to feeling a tiny bit proud of myself. The ADHDer and I finished decorating the Christmas tree at least two hours ago and I haven’t moved anything yet. Just hand me my ‘perfect parent’ award now, but don’t hate me for admitting that every time I catch…
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Christmas Alert: They’re Back!
Christmas beetle jan 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The topic of Christmas has pervaded a lot of blog posts this week. We’ve had ‘weird and wonderful’ Christmas gifts, family feuding and ‘how to get through Christmas by becoming Jewish’. Christmas trees and decorations have been prematurely erected in the shops and Coles are playing Nat King…
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How To Fit A Square Peg In The Education System
The ADHDer, who has had a problematic time at school since first donning his over-sized school shorts for Kindy, has now made it abundantly clear that we need to move him. As in NOW! He is refusing point blank to go back to his current school in the new year. You’re only as happy as…
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Any Other Dysfunctional Families Miss The Coldplay Encore?
There was a strained whiff of excitement and dare I say ‘hope’ in our house last Sunday. It was to be one of those rare occasions when the dysfunctional family attempts to throw caution to the wind, forge a connection and trial doing something ‘together’ like normal families apparently do. Around midday the old man excitedly…
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When Did I Turn Into My Parents?
‘Well, at least it’s good for the garden,’ I heard myself utter as I spotted the first drop of overdue rain absorbed by our thirsty lawn last week. A moment of silence ensued in the kitchen. I froze and the teens looked appalled. The old man smiled knowingly as he slunk back in front of the…
LOUISA SIMMONDS 