Category: More about me

Categories
family anecdotes Random thoughts

18/52 on childhood films

I watched ‘Christopher Robin’ this week. You know, the Ewen McGregor one?

I had the time and not much energy and not enough headspace to get work done, and it was there.

I was hoping for some light entertainment, maybe a return to the fond memories of when I’d watch animated films with my children (The Tigger movie etc).

And boy, did I get all that – and more! I had not realised how analytical I’ve become… having two daughters in the field of art / animation / films has led to a lot more knowledge than I’d previously had, I guess. And I really LIKED this movie!

But what made it most enjoyable for me, I think, was the voice animations. They were just perfect!

So, a BIG thank you this week to

You made my week!

Have a fond memory-full week yourself, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

Categories
Blogging challenges family anecdotes Life Random thoughts

17/52 … and I’ve caught up (again)

I’m sitting on the bed in apartment 2B in a hotel in the township of Agnes Water. It’s 7.37am and I’ve just returned from a beach walk with Miss17, who drove for nearly 6 hours yesterday to get us here – part of the mission to get her to 100 hours as per our state’s requirements of learner drivers.

 

A bush turkey has just walked past the door. The books on the shelves are inspirational. Original copies, not pre-loved library ones, and classics. Good taste, I think, as I wonder if the titles are replicated in all apartments in the hotel… or if we just lucked in due to the apartment number.

There’s legit two bees on the room number plaque too, which is also pretty cool.

But the thing making me happiest right at the moment? That I can sit and write. It’s been a month of either busy-ness or lack of internet coverage, and the fact that this is the first I can actually update my blog with words rather than just photos is SO incredibly satisifying. I’ve missed it, dear Reader, and that also makes me smile.

So. I hope you’ve been well, as I have, and that you find things (a bookshelf, a room number plaque, a bird, time with one of your loved ones) to make you as happy today as I am.

Have a blessed week, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Work

12/52 furniture choices, the new wheels, and a family pic

I’m getting ideas for new furniture in my library. A colleague has these, and they’re comfier than they look! What do you think?

Hubby also finally collected his new car – 3 weeks after he was expecting to! I think he likes it – and the doggos in the back are pretty darn cute too!

And with my brother in the country, it was family pic day today.

Yes, Kiya is one of the family!

Have an amazing, photo-worthy week yourself, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Work

12/52 furniture choices, the new wheels. and a family pic

I’m getting idea for new furniture in my library. A colleague has these, and they’re comfier than they look! What do you think?

Hubby also finally collected his new car – 3 weeks after he was expecting to! I think he likes it – and the doggos in the back are pretty darn cute too!

And with my brother in the country, it was family pic day today.

Yes, Kiya is one of the family!

Have an amazing, photo-worthy week yourself, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

Categories
momentous events Work

3/52 thinking on dogs and libraries

It sounds like the start of a riddle, doesn’t it? “What do dogs and libraries have in common?” And I must admit to not being witty enough to solve this one, sorry… my blogpost title just refers to these as the two main themes of this last week’s photos!

You see, my girl Kiya turned 2 on Wednesday. This was her on the beach the day before:

And then on her birthday itself (photo taken by Miss17, on whose birthday Kiya was born!) Check out that tongue and the ear curled back 🙂

It was also the week that I started, officially, back at school. New year, new job – Head of Library at Nambour Christian College! So I’ve been thinking all things ‘library’ this week, as I’m out and about, both online and IRL. Proof from my camera roll:

I’ve been back on Pinterest and saving inspirational pins like this:

And from Facebook, an idea that will mean I can keep a ‘live’ plant in my office without potentially killing it:

And for the library floor itself, check out these plants I saw when in Cooroy Pharmacy on Monday afternoon. Don’t you think they’d look good spread out around the library floor, near shelving or book displays?

Anyway, that’s been my week. And today it’s Bloxham Birthday Party day, to celebrate Hubby and both daughters… it’s our eldest’s last day of being a teenager today… now is that a milestone or what!

Have a wonderful week, dear Reader 🙂

KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes

2/52 on road trips and other holiday happenings

Miss16 has until July to get her 100 hours of supervised driving in. But seeing as she’s had other priorities, we started the year at 6 hours and 5 minutes.

Cue a roadtrip, the plan being to drive to Yeppoon, crash at an AirBnB, then drive back the following day, adding an extra 10 – 14 hours drive to her tally. 

To start off with, everything went well. But around 3 hours in, she started hurting. Maybe all that anxiety? Her wrists, her back (although to be fair, she’d hurt her tailbone quite badly, recently) and then when her right ankle joined in on the party, I figured it’d be better to turn around and head back. So we arrived in Boreren, enjoyed a beautiful cheesy garlic bread late lunch before starting the return journey. We made it to Childers and by then she was in enough pain I took over. On the up-side though, her confidence is vastly improved, we missed the storms which hammered our place back home, and I now know significantly more about the wonder that is Star Rail 🙂

The following day, Hubby went fishing,

I decided to finally learn the alphabet codes so I no longer have to try to think ‘m for… um… moustache’ (which was, literally, a conversation I had on Friday!),

and council mowed our road. Check out how pretty it looks now!!!

Looking ahead, it’s school stuff buying time (books, uniforms) and collecting textbooks and laptop, before starting officially on Thursday. And that, dear Reader, is just a little bit EXCITING!!!!!

Have an amazing week yourself, my friend!

  • KRidwyn
Categories
family anecdotes Writing

1/52 and let’s add photos…

Last year was somewhat successful in the blogging department. There were daily blogposts in June (thanks to @FiFYI for the challenge all those years ago now!) and pretty much weekly blogging for all the other months, so all in all I’m happy with that. Consistency was incredibly lacking prior to 2024, so hopefully 2025 will see me consolidate that improvement!

And this year I’m challenging myself with adding photos. Meaning the taking of photos, and sharing of same. Which is confronting, because I’d much rather not show evidence of how not-good a photographer I am.

And this new challenge? It’s going to include photos of me. See? Look how happy I am about this new challenge!

Just kidding. But if it’s ’only dead fish swim with the stream’ then I figure that to ‘be alive’ is ‘to grow’ and growth takes effort… which is uncomfortable. And I want to FEEL alive not just BE alive so this photo challenge it is. Something which takes me incredibly out of my comfort zone – not always a bad thing…

The photo above, taken by Miss16, is one I sent to my Compassion sponsor child earlier this week, when I finally worked out how to write letters online (sad, I know!) and I’m hoping he’ll like it because it’s been years since I sent him a photo of me! Other photos I took this week:

Mooloolaba at NYE after the 8.30pm fireworks. It’s a very pretty part of the world I’m blessed to call home! And:

The new look to my lounge room: the piano that Miss16 and I moved out of her bedroom. And I sightread a two-page Telemann piece after moving it, so I was doubly proud of these efforts! And finally, the social media screenshot which I’m FAR more comfortable sharing with you compared to my own photography efforts! This one I loved due to its surprising simile usage 🙂

And that’s it from me. Have an amazing second week of January, dear Reader, and I’ll meet you all back here next Sunday!

  • KRidwyn
Categories
places to visit Random thoughts

49/52 on Maths and hammocks

Okay, okay. My Maths skills are woeful. If there are 52 weeks a year and this is the second-last week then *surely* this should be 51 not 49. Sigh. Mathematics? Not my strong point. I guess I got mixed up doing #blogJune or something? Oh well. I can always try again next year.

Speaking of trying things again… this is my view while blogging today:

It’s been years (maybe even a decade?) since I last relaxed in a hammock. And this one – a Christmas 2024 present that I’m getting to use early!) is absolutely perfect! I forgot how much I enjoy having my feet up at pretty much the same height as my head. Now to watch my heat-swollen feet reduce, or something?

Since Hubby and I lashed out on a Stockman Rover back in August, I figured we’d better get lots of use out of it. So the kids are at home (have I mentioned how AMAZING it is to have 2 out of 3 graduated from high school already?!) and we’re HipCamping for the weekend… because we can! Hence the $41 Bunnings hammock. So far, my favourite Christmas present!

Speaking of Christmas, it’s this coming Wednesday, so my next post will be after all the celebrating.

Here’s praying you might have a day full of love and laughter, surrounded by your nearest and dearest, dear Reader. God bless you!!!

KRidwyn

Categories
Life momentous events teaching

47/52 And it’s clearing out time…

New job next year: I’m back to Nambour Christian College… which was the school that I moved to the Coast for in the first place! Head of Library position, replacing an amazingly talented man who’s retiring.

So, for the first time since 2016, I find myself on Christmas holidays with one job finished and the other not yet started. It’s a weird feeling. I’ve ALWAYS done work over the Christmas break. But I can’t right now. There’s nothing to do for CCPS and I can’t start anything at NCC! So I guess by default that means it’s “clearing out of stuff” time.

And check out my inbox! I can’t remember the last time it was at less than 20. And yes now I’m down to just 13!!! I wonder if I can get it to zero by New Year’s?

Wish me luck! Have have a lucky week yourself, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn
Categories
Christianity Life momentous events

44/52 on success and worth

So this week’s been a pretty huge one. Miss 16 is no longer a school student, and my Dad’s dementia is moving apace. So I’ve been – in amomgst the emotional rollercoaster – reflecting on ‘what is sucess’ and ‘what is worth’ in equal measure.

Who defines success? Are the kids who walk across the stage to receive Speech Night awards any more ‘worthy’ than those who remain seated and applaud them?

And is the elderly person who remembers past events better than recent ones, less ‘worth’ spending time with than one with whom you can share your news with, and never need to repeat it?

I have no answers, just questions.

I’m glad the God I believe in knows, though! And I’m glad it’s a Sunday today, so I get to go be with others who worship Him too, and can help me out a little more in this crazy thing called ‘life’ 🙂

Have a happy Sunday yourself, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn