I’m a bit - OK, very - stressed about everything I need to do before leaving for Shanghai. I felt shaky as I left the office yesterday. As I'm working from home today, there were heaps of loose ends that needed to be tied up. Of course, as things always go, I was in back-to-back... Continue Reading →

The youngest was horrified that I went out to dinner last night and abandoned her for two hours. It's ironic considering my blog post yesterday was about the kids disappearing to their rooms every night and leaving me on my lonesome. Still, I felt guilty about leaving them. But it's hard to pin down my... Continue Reading →

I ducked out yesterday to get some Chinese cash for the World Rope Skipping Championships ... and struggled back to the office with an ALDI Balance Trainer. As you do. Yep, I've become one of those people. I told myself it would to help with the recovery of the youngest's ankle. But I'm not sure... Continue Reading →

Yesterday was filled with little unexpected things. It kicked off with a pimple outbreak on my chin. FFS! I am 50! What’s with that? Have I not been through enough hormonally driven facial distress in my life? It's so not fair that my chin is twinning with my pubescent 14-year-old's. Dr Google tells me acne... Continue Reading →

"I can’t go back and change anything. But I can be more conscious of right now. I don’t want to ever again say I didn’t see it coming, that I didn’t recognise the moment for what it was. Something defining. Something that would change everything. Forever. The little things are the big things. This is... Continue Reading →

I got a shock when one of the skipping mums pulled out the program for the World Jump Rope Championships at dinner the other night. It turns out the youngest is only competing between the hours of 9am and 1pm on the Sunday morning. That’s it! We are flying to Shanghai for 10 days for... Continue Reading →

Just when you start despairing for humanity, people surprise you by doing something wonderful. Like those divers who risked their lives to rescue a boys' soccer team trapped in a cave. Actually, I still despair for humanity, but god bless those heroes for giving so much to get those kids to safety. Among them was... Continue Reading →

"For years there had been lead in my belly: the worry of a poorly child, the stress of a sleepless newborn, the sadness of falling out of love with my husband. I felt like I’d emerged from a cocoon. A rush of peace and possibility washed over me and there was a sudden excitement at... Continue Reading →

Blardy hell parenting teens is expensive. The youngest cost me $70 yesterday - after my NIB rebate - for the latest round of physio on her foot. The good news: she can probably start training again later this week. Now the swelling has gone down it appears to be a sprain rather than ligament damage.... Continue Reading →

We've had a bit of a scare. The youngest was injured at skipping training on Thursday night. She stumbled over her team mate's foot, rolling her ankle and damaging the ligament that holds the two bones together. Not wanting to let everyone down, she continued to do two practice runs of Team Teal's three-person double... Continue Reading →