S H O P P I N G ! ! !

Due to the heat and exercise in Rome, I have reduced my dress size considerably!!  Here are a select few of my purchases.  The lovely Carla is my model, though of course she is much bigger than me  ! !

In Rome

My stomach was churning over something terrible when I left for the Airport with Irene at 12.30 on Thursday 26 July.  Poor Irene sure did have to keep me talking to calm me down.  I was thinking (what on earth am I doing.......etc!!).  Well, I did get safely on the plane and all has been well after that.


I had a good flight to Singapore and once off the plane headed straight upstairs for a massage, and it was a beauty (9.30 at night!!).  Did a little shopping of things on my shopping list - small alarm clock, a little makeup.  Time went rather quickly.


Flight from Singapore to Rome was great and I slept like a baby so felt good when I arrived in Rome at 7.25.  Went straight through customs and caught the bus into the Termini (main train station) for 5 euro.  Was able to leave my case at the Hotel and then headed off to say hello to the few 'friends' I have here (shop owners of course!!).  Francoise was able to tell me where I could get a manicure/pedicure from the cutest couple in their 70's who couldn't speak a word of English.  We had lots of fun together.  


I wanted to get a sim card for my phone from Vodaphone.  What fun.  My phone had a restricted code on it and I didn't have a clue what this meant!  Darling Tim was able to tell me what to do.  Ah, the things I have to be learning!!


Did an awful lot of walking around and my feet hurt so much.  Had a lovely shower and rest before heading out to the supermarket to buy dinner.


Carla arrived at the room at midnight.  I had been sleeping a little while.  It is so good to be with her and have her lovely company.  She is such a darling and great to help me with my shopping!!


Saturday morning we had an 'English breakfast' at a Cafe and then headed for Saxon's to do some serious clothes shopping.  I was so pleased to see Erik at Saxon's.  He designs the Edas range of clothes.  He dressed me in all sorts of things, most not suitable for a Nanna who would like to be spending lots of time on the floor with her grandchildren!  I'm just going to have to be one very hot Nanna when I take them to the park, cafe, zoo, etc.  Can't promise any photo's just yet.


After a siesta and late lunch we headed for the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, etc.  Lots of walking, so many tourists and great fun together.  We finished the night on the balcony of our little hotel having our nibbles, salad, red wine and lovely.


Just woken from a really good sleep and getting ready to face another day of sightseeing.  Mustn't mention the heat as I was complaining about the cold in Perth (well it was actually just George and Irene's cold house)!!

My beautiful sisters

l-r:  In order of age!!  Jillian, Cherith, Irene, Gaynor and Brenda

I want to pay tribute to my beautiful sisters.  It's not often the 5 of us all get together.  In fact I think we have only been all together 3 times since I returned to Australia in Sept 2010.  So, it's pretty special.


My sisters have loved, supported, encouraged, prayed for me, in every possible way and I realise how much this has meant to me and helped me to continue my journey on this earth.  


Visiting Cherith & Ken's farm in Hyden is a real treat, even if it is a 4 hour drive to get there.  Irene drove Roger & myself there last November for the annual Hymnfest where the Annear girls featured!!  Even though Roger wasn't well, it was such a happy, relaxed and encouraging time for us.  Then Irene & George drove me up there at the beginning of June for the long weekend.  A group of us girls even managed a trip to 'Hollywood Bowl' - (a dam on the property), for champagne and nibbles late afternoon!  Great fun, even if it does take a bit of organising. 


The following Thursday I bravely drove 3 hours on my own up to Jillian's farm at Badgingarra, which is north of Perth on the way to Geraldton.  What an absolute treat it was to have Jillian all to myself.  I don't think this will happen again in a hurry, which is a shame.  We made sure our work was done (mainly having to hand feed the 500 sheep) so that we could cuddle up on the lounge and watch a good DVD in the evenings!!  Jillian has regularly sent me lovely encouraging messages and just given me the will not to give up.


Brenda rings regularly and we try and catch up when we can.  I was able to help Brenda when she came out of hospital a couple of months ago.  I went over to her place and stayed for 4 days and we had a great time together.  Brenda is so practical and loving.


Irene has just been plain AMAZING!  She was so good with Roger and was always ready to pitch in and help.  Roger's face would just light up the minute Irene walked in.  So precious.  Irene is my Chinese Checkers buddy.  We play VERY regularly and it's a great form of relaxation.  Most times we are neck and neck and we always look forward to the next game.  George gets a bit....grrrrrrrr!!  Irene keeps me grounded and charged up!  Irene & George have loved and supported me through this year, inviting me to dine with them regularly and stay over night if I've enjoyed wine!!  It's been a good distraction to get 2 Apartments up and running as Fully Furnished Rentals.  Fun and hard work at the same time.  Finding good short term accommodation in Perth is at a premium, especially with the Mining boom here, so you can't go wrong with rentals.


Jillian, Cherith, Irene and Brenda - I love you all very, very much and want to thank you for being here for me.  You are all so very special indeed.

MY SATURDAY

What a day!  I decided to rent my home out whilst I am away in Europe.  This has meant that I have had to strip the house of all things personal!  What a job!  I can tell you I am now totally over it and wondering what on earth I was thinking!!  I am sure once I get over the pain of doing what I'm doing (!!) it will be all worthwhile (especially the $'s).  


I have the nicest couple & their 13 yr old daughter renting my home for 7 weeks.  I leave for Europe next Thursday 26 July and they come in on 28 July, so it's perfect.  My darling sister Irene is going to have to take charge whilst I am away.  She has been absolutely amazing and I couldn't have done it without her.


The house is looking beautiful.  I've been gardening out the front and it is quite a picture.  I am having reticulation installed on Monday and this will be a big help with the watering, especially during the summer.  I've thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny.  In fact Irene is making me come and stay with her and George from tomorrow so I will stop fussing!!  


I do feel so blessed to have such a lovely home to live in.

MY FAMILY

I was recently in Melbourne with my beautiful family for 17 days.  What a joy it was to welcome Chloe Grace Ridley (born 31st May, 3.97kg) into the family.  Here we are at the celebration of Edward and Nathan's 1st Birthday on 1st July.


l-r:  Tim with Chloe, Amy, Glenda with Nathan, moi, Tom with Edward and Jocelyn

 Edward enjoying his new cart

Gorgeous little Chloe Grace Ridley

Very proud Nanna

Very, Very proud Daddy Tim

2012 TAKING SHAPE

Here I am on Friday morning 20 July 2012, back in the land of blogging.  To say I have missed blogging would sound silly, especially as I haven't written anything since February, but I have and I hope to do better in the coming days and weeks.  


I am about to embark on an adventure all on my own and I am trying to be terribly brave.  I am returning 'home' to Basel & Schopfheim for 2 months to visit our many beautiful friends.  I leave Perth, Western Australia for Rome flying Singapore Airlines next Thursday afternoon 26 July.  I intend to do a little serious shopping in Rome.  One of my German girlfriends Carla will meet me in Rome and together we are going to have a wonderful time.  Then we will fly up to Basel which is where I will be based for the time I am away.  I have never travelled on my own before.  I've always had my beloved Roger beside me.  I know he will be looking down from heaven watching over me and enjoying with me all the catch up's I will have!


I have had 3 trips to Melbourne this year - March, May and June.  Don't laugh when I say I don't really like plane travel!!  Melbourne is a 3 1/2 hour plane trip from Perth and coming back can be between 4 to 4 1/2 depending on head winds.  There is also a 2 hour time difference between Perth & Melbourne. I have loved time spent with my beloved family in Melbourne and each time I go it becomes harder to leave, especially as my beautiful grandchildren grow and develop their own personalities.  I was blessed to welcome Chloe Grace Ridley on 31 May (daughter for Tim & Amy).  She is now 7 weeks old and growing quickly.  Edward and Nathan turned 1 on 1 July and I was there to join in the celebrations.  It was quite a difficult day for me.  I just felt Roger would have loved to have been there and I particularly missed him.  It didn't help that I was coming down with a cold (wiping little boys noses too much I think!!).


I am becoming stronger in myself and I am most thankful for this.  It has been a very difficult 7 months.  I don't like being on my own (I thought I would actually enjoy it), I don't like the fact that I am now 'single' and not 'married'.  I can't help looking at married couples who seem so happy and comfortable in each others company and wondering why Roger was taken from me so early in life.  It isn't fair, it just isn't.  I also feel I need to find new friends now that I am a 'single' person.  It is the weirdest feeling actually.  Gaynor, the extrovert, not knowing where she really fits in any more.  But this is a process I have to work through on my own and no one can really help me with this.  Going back to Europe to our wonderful friends will be a huge help for me, but also very emotional.  I promise I will blog and let you know what's going on in this mind of mine!!


I received a picture book from my dear friend Sarah.  It is called "Tear Soup" (A recipe for healing after loss) by Pat Schwiebert & Chuck DeKlyen.  Beautifully written and most helpful to explain how I am feeling and why I am feeling like I am.  Also it helps to explain it to my friends and family why I feel the way I do, and sometimes don't understand it myself!!  I have bought 5 copies of the book myself and I am giving them away to people as I feel led.  I will take a copy to Basel with me and pass it around to my friends (our dear friend Kevin recently lost his Mum in New Zealand) then I will leave the copy in the Centrepoint Library.


I will post some family photo's in the coming days.  Stay tuned.  I promise to be on the improve with my blog, my dear and faithful blogging readers.  


Yes, I'm on a whole new journey and one that I don't really want to be on.