Is it just me or does anyone else feel like they are coping most of the time but then something comes up that’s kind of significant, but kind of not and then you feel as lost, scared and alone as you did right back at the beginning?
…and then everything just spills over?

I was doing OK. I had started the new school year with an entirely new mandated curriculum and I was OK. I had everything planned out so that it would be fairly cruisy.

…and then I was given a second year level to plan across.

…and the stress built, but I was OK.

….and then a Huge Scary Python started visiting my chicken’s cage every night (it’s body is thicker than my arm).

…and I started to crack a little. Greg is the person who dealt with scary creatures.

…and then?

…then we had 10 inches of rain in two days.

…and then I discovered that all the money I’ve spent on drainage and fixing the problem from when it happened last time only mitigated the problem: there was water seeping into my garage again.

….and suddenly, I really wasn’t OK.

All of these stresses suddenly became insurmountable: too much for me to deal with.

…and meanwhile, I’m determinedly ‘coping’ lest my boss think I wasn’t coping and take away work.

…and my friends are telling me how strong I am (when they don’t see me weeping in the shower at midnight).

But then, Just One Person does something positive for me, without me needing to beg and suddenly I can cope again. I can pick up the pieces and keep moving forward.

Janice is another member of our frog band who are a cover band of the Muppet band, Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.

She lives in the base of a hanging basket

…and stays out of the way of The Very Enormous Python:

The Very Enormous Python has apparently been visiting my chooks for weeks now as I’ve heard the loud “bang” as he tries to strike them.  I now suspect that he has only been eating the eggs thus far, but he’s certainly big enough to take on a full grown chicken (he’s as fat as my arm and well over 2 m long … I think … he doesn’t often fully uncoil himself).

This week in my garden, I saw this…..

Bursting Forth (Xanthostemon)

and this

Grevillea Golden Cascade

and this:

Party Girl (Corymbia Summer Red) My favourite plant as you may have guessed.

and this:

Clucky

and this:

Banksia
These two little spikes have made me so happy. Greg gave me this plant many yeas ago. He planted it by the mail box so we’d see if every day. It sat and sulked for the first few years. Then it grew lots of shoots, still none of the promised golden candles.
Last year, the grass tree flowered for the first time, this year it looks it will be the Banksia’s turn. Sad to think that the boy who planted both for me won’t get to see them finally flower.
I will be watching for these bud-filled spikes to flower in the coming weeks.

I give you Floyd:

Hello 2012

Hello love

Hello kindness

Hello grace

Hello better health

Hello better fitness

Hello new friends

Hello feeling safe

Hello good things for the kids

Hello confidence

Hello new wealth

Hello increased strength

Hello empathy

Hello good luck

Hello stable career

Hello permanent job

Hello fun

Hello good memories

Hello positivity

Hello learning new things

Hello old love

Hello new love

Hello 2012