Australian cliffhanger

A weight has lifted off the continent of Australia. Last night there was a cliffhanger with 44 votes to 54. We now have a new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. Even though my political leanings are not with this government, this man is intelligent, and hopefully will once again recognise climate change and be more reasonable with other issues. Julie Bishop remains deputy, and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

This was not the only excitement. We had a bet with friends that Tony Abbott would be ousted before the end of the year. So, a box of chocolates is coming our way, ‘and all was (is) well with the world.’

No Cliffhangers Daily Post by Ben Huberman

Write a post about the topic of your choice in what ever style you want, but make sure to end with ‘…and all was well with the world.’

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/no-cliffhangers

 

 

 

Rituals fill a purpose

Emptying my bladder has become a nightly ritual, due to a prolapse. No, don’t ask! I ease my legs out of their cocoon of warmth, rubbing my knees to help bring back circulation. To my embarrassment, as I bend and reach for my slippers a fart escapes me. Keeping my eyes half shut to keep them warm and not wake up completely, I feel my way to the toilet. After a rather inconsequential pee, I wash my hands and have a sip of water. Like a blind person I quietly wend my way back to bed. If I don’t get up to do this, I lie awake. This ritual settles me down to sleep. If by chance I wake my beloved, he then, not so quietly, rises to do the same, shattering the darkness with his torch.

The Daily Post, Ben Huberman                                                                                                              Think about your day. Select one of your daily rituals and explain it to us. Why do you do what you do? How do you come to adopt this ritual? What happens on days when you can’t perform it?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/daily-ritual/

 

 

Marmalade and Olive:

Marmalade and Olive

Olive:

If I was a cat and looked like that I’d hide my head in shame.

Blue eyes so blind that cannot find a mouse or even cheese.

Since then my life has changed to please a little one called Hazel.

Her eyes so blue, her cuddles true, my heart is full to bursting.

She loves me with all my faults, with pride and joy we both exalt.

6am is time for fun, even before the rising sun.

 

Marmalade:

A marmalade cat was meant to be                                                                                                       Asunder a merry Christmas tree                                                                                                                   To be given to a small, wee friend                                                                                                                 On whose arm I shall append.

Marmalade

 

The Golden Hour: The Daily Post by Michelle W.

6:00 AM: the best hour of the day, or too close to your 3:00 AM bedtime?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/the-golden-hour/

 

 

Keeping on top of things:

Baggage Check:  Prompt by Ben Huberman                                                                                              We all have complicated histories. When was the last time your past experiences informed a major decision you’ve made?

Having retired from the paid work force, our major decision to move to a country town where we can live in peace was in 2008. So the only big decisions now are considerably smaller than they once were.

This week has seen the pruning of our 12 palm trees. This has created masses of refuse, which I then booked in for a free pick-up. Cleaning up under the palms; picking up all of the fruit, or seeds, to stop germination took an afternoon. They are very heavy, so am hoping the garbage truck doesn’t refuse our bin due to the heavy weight.

Pruned palm trees

Tomorrow will see the removal of a defunct heater/air conditioner, weather permitting. The new system will be on the roof, and so can’t be put in if it is raining. The new system will be bigger and able to warm the large room that it is there to heat. I am delighted that the rubbish removal will also include the old heater as well as some other unused items in the garage. This will all be done before my son, daughter in law and one year old, arrive for the long weekend.

Camellia

Young orange tree

Salvia

Lisbon Lemon Tree

Perhaps my experience as a teacher has helped me recognise the necessity of keeping on top of things to maintain an orderly existence. So, my major decisions may seem trivial to others, but are a vital concern to us, and once attended to, will allow us to recognise the next batch. The garden remains an ongoing activity, so shall share some shots from our sunny winter day.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/baggage-check/

 

Dreaming:

Describe the last nightmare you remember having. What do you think it meant?

As a child I had a recurring nightmare of myself in a burning car. I was terrified, and would run and stand in the cold by my mother sleeping. She’d usually awaken in fright finding someone standing beside the bed, and then return me to bed. She’d ask why I hadn’t woken her, but I didn’t want to do that. Just standing next to someone made it better.

As to the meaning, I really haven’t worked that out. Perhaps it was fear of driving in the car, which was new to me.

When I grew up, being chased was a terrifying dream until I read a book about dreaming. In that, it told me that I had control of my dreams. If you are being chased, turn around and face your pursuer and you find they are no longer chasing you. You can smile and they are no longer terrifying. They usually slope away. So, I no longer have such dreams.

As to why I’d have had such dreams? Probably it was being scared of boogeymen, or just  the unknown.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/nightmares/

Dinting Depression:

 

A colour shop

If I could cure one ailment I should choose depression. Depression can associate itself with so many other ailments and diminish the quality of life. I should choose to use colour to create environments that are uplifting and inspiring. Once one can see life from a positive stance, any other problems can be seen in perspective and dealt with.

Visiting an art shop today I was reminded how many colours we have to choose from. The window display with many yellow jars just lifted my spirits. This would become my colour shop where people could come and choose clothing, haberdashery, paint, lozenges to bath salts in any chosen colour. Music, too, would be part of the cure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Placebo Effect, by Michelle W.                                                                                                                         If you could create a painless, inexpensive cure for a simple ailment, what would you cure and why?

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/placebo-effect/

 

 

To dream or not to dream, that is the question.

The daily prompt today brought to mind some dreams I had in my twenties. Flying. Have any of you flown in dreams? I’d love to hear from you, if you have. For me it was such a wonderful feeling! It did take some energy and concentration to get into the air, but once there, the feeling of exhilaration and excitement remains with me.

The Jungian psychiatrist I spoke to about these dreams, from my rather inadequate memory, told me they were symbolic of taking charge of my life and that flying has a very positive meaning.

My dream life is such an important part of my life. Fortunately Christopher remembers his dreams too, so we’re able to discuss our dreams at breakfast. Sometimes they are so delicate they become ephemeral, and can be lost in the blink of an eye. Writing down a sentence from a dream can help retain the memory and bring back the full dream. Without dreams, life would become very mundane.

I’d love to add a Chagall painting, but due to copyright, I shall resist the temptation.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream. By Michelle W.                                                                                 Sleep is one-third of our lives: write a post about it. Do you love naps?                                                  Have trouble falling asleep? Wish you could remember your dreams? Remember something vivid? Snuggle under a blanket, or throw the windows wide open? Meditate on sleep.            (Thanks for the suggestion thunderwhenitrains!)

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/sleep/

Sun symbol:

Daily Prompt: Weaving the Threads by Michelle W.                                                                  Draft a post with three parts, each unrelated to the other, but create a common thread between them by including the same item- an object, a symbol, a place in each part.

Dripping with water, Michelle lay down on her towel on an isolated beach and allowed the sun to dry her back. Her thoughts morphed into dreams. Poke! She was shocked into consciousness. The sun had disappeared behind a stranger standing over her.                           ‘I just thought you might like to know you’re getting burnt,’ said the stranger.

Gerry on his way to the beach swerved to avoid the echidna crossing his path. The bike skidded and he flew through the air head over heels, Gerry found himself sprawled on the tarmac. Blood oozed and he felt giddy, his helmet had cracked with the impact. He came to, finding a girl putting a towel around his shoulders asking him questions. The sun blinded him so that she looked like an angel.

The seagulls squawked as they threw the last of their crusts out the window. The sun was sinking into the water. They canoodled in the back of the car as twilight dimmed to dark. Jake pressured her to go a bit further. She wanted to save herself until after their marriage. ‘It’s alright,’ he said, ‘I’ve got a towel, you won’t damage the seat.’

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/weaving-the-threads/

Divorce Vs Murder:

A nice, calm and respectable lady went into the pharmacy, walked up

to the pharmacist, looked straight into his eyes, and said, “I

would like to buy some cyanide.”

The pharmacist asked, “Why in the world do you need cyanide?”

The lady replied, “I need it to poison my husband.”
The pharmacist’s eyes got big and he explained, “Lord have mercy!

I can’t give you cyanide to kill your husband, that’s against the

law? I’ll lose my license! They’ll throw both of us in jail! All

kinds of bad things will happen. Absolutely not! You CANNOT have

any cyanide!”
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her

husband in bed with the pharmacist’s wife.

The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, “You didn’t tell

me you had a prescription.”

As I can never remember jokes, i have passed on one that a friend sent recently by e-mail. Hope you enjoy it.

Daily Prompt: Ha, Ha, Ha by Michelle W.

Tell us a joke!  Knock- knock joke, long story with an unexpected punchline, a great zinger– all jokes are welcome.                                                  https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/ha-ha-ha/

 

 

Music background:

If I was to choose the music that accompanied my life, it would start with ‘Les Sylphides’ by Frederic Chopin. www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-KCR_sAsGQ                                                           This romantic music inspired me to dance around the record player for hours in an empty room. The magic in this music lifted me to heavenly heights.

The next decade would be represented by the theme of love. Elvis Presley singing ‘I don’t have a wooden heart’ and the Beatles many songs: ‘All you need is love,’ ‘Love me Do,’ ‘And I love her.’ Joan Baez and Bob Dillon, Marianne Faithful, so many sang of love. I would have to go back and listen to revive those memories, as there were many more pieces of music that were meaningful at that time.

Arriving in Italy, my first song that I remember was ‘A lighter Shade of Pale.’ My twenties were  influenced by the Beatles. the Australian Seekers and the protest songs of Joan Baez, ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’  and – let it be. The Seekers: ‘A World of our Own,’ and later ‘I am Australian.’ ‘Yesterday’ blaring forth as we sat drawing in the evenings, songs full of nostalgia and promise, like, ‘Here comes the Sun.’

Heartbreak brought many sad songs: ‘The Carnival is Over,’ by the Seekers and Edith Piaf’s husky voice spoke to me at this time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cePJbmBEyBA   Brighter songs followed such as Cat Steven’s ‘Morning has broken’ and ‘Moonshadow.’

Meeting husband no. 2 brought with him Eric Clapton. There were others, that once again, I’d have to research. The children brought their own childhood and later teenage music, for example, ‘Grease.’

Classical music once again returned to my life with classic fm radio. When I felt like a party Dorothy Masuka filled the house with ‘Pata Pata.’

Finally returning to my childhood sweetheart, this music, ‘Scenes from Childhood,’ Opus 15, Robert Schumann would complete my story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lihXS3GLw0

If your life were a movie, what would its sound track be like? What songs, instrumental pieces, and other sound effects would be featured on the official sound track album? Ben Huberman

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/cue-the-violins/