A Sprinkle of Gratitude

Today I am grateful for choices. I choose to meditate, do my exercises and have a quiet day today. I choose to eat nutritious food. I choose to be grateful for my life. So many people in our world are unable to make choices such as these. We take these choices for granted. 

  
Today I am grateful that I live in Australia. A country where I am able to make choices. Here are 50 reasons why Australia is the lucky country.

Today I am grateful to be able to choose to use medical care. I read so much on the net about the negative aspects of our medical system and how we can heal our bodies and minds with good food and that modern medicine is poison. I am so grateful for modern medicine. I would have bled to death without modern medicine. I would be in a lot of pain without modern medicine. I would have a useless left arm without modern medicine. I am very grateful for modern medicine and hospitals and doctors. 

  
Today I am grateful for  technology. I am able to communicate with whoever I like. I am able to find out information quickly and easily. I have so many devices to make my life easier. I love my dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, hairdryer, computer, iPad, phone, and thermomix. ( I would prefer to  do without my iron….). 

Today I am grateful for this magical spring weather. 

Today I am grateful for being at the beach. 

  
 Today I am grateful for the lovely walk I did with David to Burleigh and back.

  
 
Today I am grateful for the great breakfast at Espresso Moto. They have just been nominated for best Eggs Benedict on the coast. They are definetly worth a visit. Shop 2/1389 Gold Coast Highway. David had the Eggs Benedict. I had avocado and tomatoes on toast. Yum. The coffee was great too.

  
Today I am grateful for comfortable sandshoes. It is nice to be wearing and using them again.

Today I am grateful that I have been able to squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube with my left hand in the last 24 hours. I am not writing yet but it is getting closer. 

Today I am grateful I have a very good Physio. I had not needed to see him until now because all I was doing was healing. I am still healing but I am ready to start preparing for proper exercise again. Because I have a big cut down my belly I need to re engage my abdominal muscles. Because I haven’t used my gluts for over three months I need to wake them up again and because I have not used my left arm for over three months it needs lots and lots of work. I have a manageable list of exercises to do each day. I have a goal of walking 5km. Hopefully these small goals will prepare me for my bigger goals of walking longer distances, running and getting back on my bike. I will also add swimming and gym back in when my arm has healed enough. I am going to be busy!

  
Today I am grateful that the sun is out today. My daughter Lucy is trekking at Fraser Island for four days for Duke of Edinburgh and I was very worried it was going to rain for the whole trek.

  
Today I am grateful that my doctor gave me the ok to drive when my arm was comfortable enough. I drove yesterday and managed which was fantastic. I won’t drive far but it gives me back some independence again.

   
Today I am grateful that Nick has a job. He has a job that only pays depending on what he sells. It is very tough and very little pay but I am proud of him for doing it ( I think he now has more insight into the benefits of uni). 

  
Today I am grateful that David’s Grandma Audrey is ok. She was admitted to Wesley hospital yesterday with chest pain. She is pain free now and will probably go home in the next few days. 

Today I am grateful for the wonderful wonderful weekend I have shared with Leigh Passfield, Michelle Beesley, and Kerryn Suchting. These beautiful women have looked after me and made sure I didn’t overdo it. As a result I feel refreshed and almost normal ! I have loved their company for the last few days – thank you girls! 

  
Today I am grateful that the weather in Sydney in the last few days has been perfect. It has been beautiful and sunny and warm. 

Today I am grateful that I really enjoyed the play that we saw last night at the Sydney Theatre Company. It was called The Present and had Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh in it. Both were amazing. The reviews I had read were very verbose and confusing. The play was long but it was funny, thought provoking and wonderfully entertaining and I can now say I have seen Cate Blanchett in the flesh ( I think she is one of the most beautiful women in the world). 

  
Today I am grateful that Malcolm Turnbull is our new Prime Minister. I do not agree with the constant destabilization within politics and I believe Tony Abbott is a good man with good motives. I do not however believe the Liberal Party would have won the next election with Tony Abbott as leader. I believe the Liberal Party has a much better chance of being returned to government with Malcolm Turnbull leading. Let’s hope I am right! 

Today I am grateful that food tastes so good. After the accident I had so much nausea and for quite a while food didn’t taste very good. I am back to loving the taste of food and we have had lots of beautiful food and coffee and wine while in Sydney. I know our husbands won’t believe it but I don’t think any of us went into even one shop! 

Today I am grateful that I am sitting on Sydney harbour blogging. I live in the most beautiful country in the whole wide world. 

  
Today I am grateful for the amazing meal I had at Bennelong Restaurant last night at the Opera House. I do think that the restaurants in little old Brisbane serve food that is just as good or better……

  
Today I am grateful that wearing ankle boots with everything is fashionable at the moment because I have been wearing mine non stop for twelve weeks. 

Today I am grateful that I left my sandshoes at home. The girls I am in Sydney with are walking at the moment. If I had brought my sandshoes I would have walked with them and then probably stuffed myself for the remainder of the day. Being quieter this morning will allow me to visit Collette Dinegan’s exhibition today and enjoy the play we are going to tonight. 

Today I am grateful that I saw my baby sister last night. She had dinner with us. She is a stunner! 

Today I am grateful that I am sitting on a plane flying to Sydney!!! We had organized this trip before I had my accident and I was unsure whether I would actually be well enough to travel. But I am . 

Today I am grateful that strangely I am not as nervous flying as I normally am. Maybe the events of the last few months have emphasized how little we are in control over our own destiny and what will be will be. 

Today I am grateful for my beautiful girlfriends Kerryn, Michelle and Leigh. We are all going to Sydney together. They are looking after me so beautifully – I haven’t even had to carry my own luggage. 

Today I am grateful that I didn’t beep going through security. I have a plate in my arm and I thought it might make me beep but it didn’t. 

Today I am grateful for being alive. Being alive is awesome. 

Today I am grateful that my Dad’s  boat ( which is a 125 that he built and has been at our place the last few months) has been bought by a lovely family who will get a lot of enjoyment from it. 

  
Today I am grateful for my lovely friend Victoria Lenton who has made an amazing birthday cake for Sophia.

  
Today I am grateful for David. He is doing a pizza making class with Sophia today for her birthday and he is taking Sophia and two of her friends to Max Brennar tomorrow – also for her birthday.

Today I am grateful for my friend Leigh Passfield who has organized a lovely few days away in Sydney starting tomorrow! I will be spending time with three wonderful girls and I will be seeing my wonderful sister too. 

Today I am grateful for the delicious pancakes Lucy made for Sophia for breakfast this morning. There are no photos because they are all eaten! 

Today I am grateful for the beautiful breakfast I shared with cycling friends at the Hundred Acre Bar. We have such a lovely bond between us all even though we all do not cycle together anymore. I know wherever life takes us all in the coming years we will always share something special. 

  
Today I am grateful to the girls at Intherapy who looked after me so beautifully this morning. I had a lovely facial and managed to have my nails painted. They were very gentle of my remaining injuries. Nicola  who owns the salon even brought me home. I felt very cared for. 

Today I am grateful once again for online shopping. I love being able to sit in my lounge room and do the grocery shopping and have it delivered onto my kitchen bench.

  
Today I am grateful that I live in a country free of war. I feel so distressed for all those people who live in war torn countries who are fleeing. I pray that the future of our earth holds peace. I believe there is so much good on this earth and I know it may not happen in my lifetime but I hope and pray that somewhere sometime it will be possible. 

  
Today I am grateful once again for my home. It is cold this afternoon but I am tucked in on my couch with my dogs. All the children are home. The fridge is full of food. Dinner is planned ( garlic prawns). David will be home soon. I am just lucky. 

Today I am grateful whenever I get home from riding in a taxi. I am not able to drive at the moment and I have had some hairy taxi rides! 

  
Today I am grateful that I had coffee with Mum and my sister Susie. I love Susie’s  new place and she got coffee from Bean on Dean and it was delicious. 

Today I am grateful that I have seen my friend Caroline Somers. I saw Caroline for some acupuncture and she is wonderful. We both believe healing is about mind, body and spirit. 

  
Today I am grateful for my beautiful hairdresser Lisa from Purple Daze. I had my haircut yesterday and as always I love the cut and colour.

  
Today I am grateful for pretty clothes. It has been very tempting to be in tracky dacks and a comfy jumper the last three months. I have chosen most days to dress nicely, blow dry my hair and put on make up. 

Today I am grateful that I went for my first walk since the operation on my arm. I walked 2.3km – the longest walk so far. I had David as company which was lovely. 

  
Today I am grateful that my hand is less swollen. Lucy even said – ooh Mum I can see the wrinkles in your fingers. This is a good thing – there have been no wrinkles since the latest surgery as my hand has been too swollen. I can’t quite get my rings on but I don’t think that will be long.

  
Today I am grateful for tears. I know it sounds really dumb but I have had quite a few tears of frustration and pain this morning. For me it feels so much better once I have had a good cry – I think it is much better than having all those emotions bottled up inside. 

  
Today I am grateful that my kids have all learned how to use an iron due to this incident. The girls ironed their own uniforms this morning.

Today I am grateful for the first rose of spring.