If we were having coffee I would tell you about being lucky enough to get the second last stateroom on the Disney Wonder’s last cruise out of Australia. It was a 3 day cruise to nowhere that was all about Disney and fun. I loved it. I did think that it was interesting that we ended up sailing in circles between Sydney and Newcastle (my home town). Given how much fun we had I am sad that at this stage Disney has no plans to bring the Wonder or any other ship back to Australia for future cruise seasons. Over the next few weeks I will share more details of my amazing and very different cruise on the Disney Wonder.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I started an Etsy shop in early January. It was something that I had wanted to for many years. To find out more about how it developed I have linked my post Coffee Catch-Up #50. Over the last two weeks I have been very busy designing and today I am very excited to announce that I have uploaded my 100th design, (shown above.) My “Be Yourself” design is all about self love and inclusion. What I didn’t realise is that this weekend is the 48th Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. The other even more pleasing connection is that tonight is the start of Newcastle’s first dedicated LGBTQIA+ festival, which runs over the weekend. What an excellent way to celebrate inclusion and being yourself. If you are interested in stopping by and having a look, here is the address. https://www.etsy.com/shop/maxxinspired/?etsrc=sdt
If we were having coffee I would tell you how excited I was when my grandson called me ‘Grandma’ for the first time on my recent visit. I don’t think I realised how special it would feel. He has just turned 3 and his brother is 10 months old. I can’t believe how quickly time has flown since they were born.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I retired last August when my long service leave ended. I had been planning it for 3 years so I was ready. Now nearly one year since I worked my last shift (26th Feb), my days fill so quickly. I can’t believe I had time to work. And I’m only just returning to blogging. I have so many stories to share with you all. When I was talking to my daughter yesterday about returning, I could feel my energy rising even at the thought of creating again. A good sign I think.
This photo of my swimming hole was taken two weeks later when I was trying to photograph the Southern Aurora. It looks so innocent, doesn’t it.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that the morning after my farewell dinner I was so excited. I had to decided to go for my first swim of the season in this pool like section of our local beach. It is always fun just floating around in the waves here. I felt pumped and full of life as I walked into the ocean. I was part way in when a wave came with such force it pushed my left leg hard and fast to a 90 degree angle. Definitely not something 60+ year old legs are meant to do. I couldn’t believe it.
I was alone, although there were many other women and children in the swimming area. I crawled out. A lady came to help but I was sure I’d be alright when I made it to the shore. But I was very wrong. On the beach I couldn’t stand up due to major pain and dizziness. I screamed so loudly every time I attempted to get up. Another lady got the lifeguards and I eventually made it off the beach and into an ambulance. The problem was I couldn’t weight bare and had to sit to control the pain. When the ambo’s arrived they gave me “the green whistle” to manage the pain. Then I could walk supported. As I spent so much time sitting in the sand and it was high tide, every time I moved all day, sand dropped all over the floor. I’m sure people were wondering why is there sand in the ED.
I ended up with a hamstring tear 22cm x 3cm (7 in X 1in). Let me tell you not being able to walk is scary. I am recovering well and realise it could have been a lot worse. I am very grateful for all the help I received on that day. I’m not sure when my family will let me swim in the ocean again.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that once I could sit comfortable in my chair I used my recovery time wisely. One of my 25 goals for 2025 was to start designing for an Etsy shop I wanted to create. So I did. I watched many You-tube videos, upskilled myself in Canva and found Kitttl. (a new design software that uses templates). Chat GPT also became my new best friend. I began creating designs in November. I found it so exciting. When I was ready to open my shop in January, I had over 80 to choose from. The whole process has been so interesting.
After a slow and steady start to help the ETSY algorithm do it’s thing, I uploaded my 50th design this morning. Now I can chose my upload rate, I have decided on 3 a day. This keeps me moving but doesn’t overwhelm me. Initially, I had no plan what my shop would look like. It developed itself organically. It is not trendy. It is based on all the areas and eras of my life. My shop’s tag line is “inspired by a life well lived.” Like my blog, it reflects t shirt designs that mean something to me. Some examples of my sections are feel good life, everyday life, bookish life, nursing life, gymnastics life, adulting moments and outdoor/adventure. It has been fun creating a design and then working out where it will sit in my shop.
Ironically, even before I knew this was going to happen I chose to name my shop, maxxinspired ,a turn about of my blog name Inspiring Max. Here is the link if you are interested in stopping by, https://www.etsy.com/shop/maxxinspired/ I’d love to know your thoughts.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?
If we were having coffee I would tell you we are currently on baby watch waiting for the arrival of our second grandchild. It is weird having no control over my life. All plans I currently make, need to come with a caveat – “if I’m not needed for grammie duty.” So exciting!
If we were having coffee I would tell you that Ruby (our slide on camper) has finally come home from the repairman. Sadly she is no longer all red due to her having some modifications. Her changes have made her longer and unfortunately this meant new sides which have needed to be white. She still has her red front and back however. We are so happy to have her back and be traveling again.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am on five months long service leave. At present I am one month in and wonder how I had time to go to work. My current plan is to go back in August but not necessarily for long. Time will tell.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am doing the A-Z Challenge again. This year my theme will involve all of my recent travels not as I usually do my Australian travels. I am pleased to have my blogging mojo back.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that on New Years Day this year instead of resolutions I began creating a list of 25 things to do in 2025. Until I began writing this post I had 17 items on my list however now I have finished it. On my 3 month review I was excited to see that I had made a good start. People say the Year of the Snake is a Year of Change, so I hope to not recognise myself by this time next year as I achieve all my plans. Just to keep it on track I plan on tracking my progress.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that my hip continues to improve. I no longer have restless night’s sleep and rarely do I have any more pain. It will be interesting if this changes in August when I return to work. If it suddenly gets worse then, I will know that the universe is telling me to RETIRE. Oh dear, how sad.
If we were having coffee I would tell you I can’t believe how quickly this year is going. Since we last had coffee back in May I have been busy planning our Canadian/Alaskan holiday which we have just returned from. It was amazing. We worked out our own itinerary using the internet and were not disappointed.
On a previous Canadian trip 10 years ago, my husband and I visited the east coast. This trip we visited the west coast. So between both we have visited all 10 Canadian provinces and a small corner of the Yukon. We have also explored a large part of Alaska which was breathtaking. Not bad for a pair of Aussies eh.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that unfortunately the initial diagnosis for my hip was incorrect and I have needed regular physio to build up the muscles supporting it. I also have had a great benefit from orthotics to support my feet. Fortunately the effort I put in before we went away paid off and I had little trouble walking the 360 kilometers we covered in 6 weeks. On returning home however it is letting me know that it isn’t very happy at times.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that Ruby, our slide on camper has finally gone back to her maker to get repaired from the major water damage she has suffered. We are looking forward to getting her back and being able to take sneaky weekend getaways again.
If we were having coffee I would tell you I have enjoyed doing a number of puzzles this year. There was one however that I found quite challenging. It was in the shape of Mickey Mouse and made up of individual pictures of Mickey. No two pieces were the same. It took me a few months to sort him him out but in the end I was pleased with the end result.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that this month is Inspiring Max’s 10th blogiversary. I can’t believe its been so long. I created my first blog post on Mother’s Day 2014. It was a celebration of mothers and what we are teaching our children. Interestingly, the current style of my blog posts isn’t that different to my first.
I can clearly remember the months before I started and the scary preparation needed to get her off the ground. Sending that first post into the blogosphere was such an achievement for me. Initially, I had no followers but slowly and surely I found my people. Over the years I have had approximately 40,000 views, nearly 22,000 visitors from just under 700 posts. Thank you for being part of my journey. I am grateful to you all.
If we were having coffee I would tell you in April we had a family getaway to celebrate a few significant birthdays. To make it a bit special we decided to make it an 80s party on the Saturday night. We all dressed 80’s style, ate 80’s foods and played 80’s music. It was so much fun. We were pleased that most family members could come for at least part of the weekend. We hired out a house in the country and despite the rain we had a great time.
I had a great time in the lead up creating 80’s themed props to add some sparkle to our party. I was pleased with how everything turned out.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that last Tuesday I as fortunate to go to Government House in Sydney for my step mother’s OAM investiture. This is a very special award given as part of the Australia Day Honours to Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement. It was a very special, well earned day. Her award was presented by Her Excellency the Honurable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that unfortunately I didn’t finish my A-Z challenge in April. I am not sure how I lost my focus but as I had already written most of my posts I will work hard to finish them realistically by the end of June. It was fun and everyone seemed to enjoy hearing about our unique travels in Australia.
If we were having coffee I would tell you I am in my final weeks of planning our trip to British Columbia, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. We will be exploring these areas from late August and our trip will include an Alaskan cruise. If you know any hidden gems in these areas, please let me know so I can include them in our plan. Being only 13 weeks away it is getting exciting.
For anyone who is not aware the #AtoZChallenge is held every year in April. Bloggers are challenged to chose a theme and write a post everyday except Sunday. The posts start at A and go through until Z. The other fun part is also blog hopping and visiting new and friends blogs.
During this years #AtoZChallenge I will share with you some of the interesting things, places and people I have discovered as I travel the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
I hope that you find my theme interesting. Australia is a very unique and varied country that can be very different. It is not unusual to hear the phrase “only in Australia.” On our travels in Truby (our blue Iveco truck and her red slide on camper) we mostly visit small towns. Nearly all are filled with history and have found some way to reinvent themselves using creativity. At the beginning of the day it is not unusual for us to have no idea what we will find on our journey. I love it. I hope that you find my selections interesting and that they give you an insight into our Australian culture.
For any of my #weekendcoffeeshare friends who are also joining in the fun I will attempt to keep up with your posts. Thanks for hosting Natalie.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about our trip to Windsor a few weeks ago. Our purpose was to win a trip to Disneyland. I had won a golden ticket in a chocolate bar just like Charlie. Winners were then registered and put in a lucky draw barrel. By attending the special event, if we won we received extra spending money. Why not we thought. The local lolly shop held the event. All 40 staff were dressed in Disney costumes and acted in character. Unfortunately, we didn’t win but had a great time anyway. By the way Mickey sends his love.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how pleased my husband and I were to find an old fashioned All You Can Eat Pizza Hut. These are rare in Australia these days. However, when our kids were little we would often go and celebrate our special events at the local one near our home. Just being at one always brings back many happy memories. We were also pleased that the pizza and salad bar options hadn’t changed much in the last 30+ years.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how much I am enjoying blogging again. Not only writing and creating the posts but also blog hopping. I love visiting other blogs and seeing how they interpret the same themes. I am really looking forward to joining this years A-Z blogging challenge next month. It will be my 4th time but for the first I am the most organised this year.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how pleased I was to discover the cause of my hip pain. It has been going on for about 5 years. Initially, it was thought to be osteoarthritis, something I couldn’t do much about. Fortunately, it turned out to be a form of bursitis and was fixed by a simple cortisone injection. I love being able to walk without a limp again.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about our work Paint and Sip social last year. It was a lot of fun. Our theme was The Grinch. He was fairly easy as we could trace him rather than draw him freehand. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning and despite a few sips, I think my painting turned out well. Me being me of course had to change his background colour from black to one that I made up myself.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?
If we were having coffee I would tell you that my virtual coffee dates are very similar to my real life coffee dates. I love them but they are often a long time coming. That aside, I was happy to see that Natalie is still hosting our #weekend coffee share. Thank you. I find it welcoming to catch up with old friends as well as make new ones. I was surprised however to realise today that I had been MIA for nearly 12 months. How quickly that time has gone. I am hopeful that 2024 is the year that I get my blogging act together.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am still working 3 days a week despite giving a lot of thought into retirement. It’s weird. I know that I am ready but part of me doesn’t know who I am when I’m not a mental health nurse. At present I am on long service leave and not missing work at all. We have a few big trips planned for the next 12 months so I am thinking I have about 18 months left in me. Who knows, whichever way it goes I will definitely be taking Dolly Parton’s advice.
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
If we were having coffee I would tell you that my husband and I have become cruisers. Last year we went on 2 cruises to various parts of the South Pacific. Our first one was to New Caledonia and Vanuatu onboard the Carnival Splendor. It was a lot of fun. We visited Noumea, Mystery Island and Lifou.
In October, we joined The Mutiny On The Bounty cruise with P&O’s Pacific Adventure which followed the journey of Willliam Blythe. During the cruise we visited places associated with the mutiny including stopping for half an hour on the exact spot it occurred. We also stopped at Norfolk Island, Nukualoka and Vava’u (both part of Tonga) as well as Fiji’s Dravuni Island and Lautoka.
We found both cruises very relaxing however we were very unhappy with P& O’s food. It was lacking inspiration, very repetitive and you had to pay for choices such as pizza and burgers. Both of which were included on Carnival six months earlier.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that X (our grandson) turned one a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we couldn’t spend the day with him as he was in Japan with his other grandmother. Despite this my daughter and I celebrated in our own way. We had Australian party food, party pies and sausage rolls as well as our family favourite cheese dip. Unfortunately, hubby was away minding X’s rabbits. To add to our enjoyment we had a few celebratory drinks and watched Shrek 1 & 2.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I lost my mother just before Christmas. Unfortunately her death was a long goodbye as her body slowly shut down. Like every thing she did in life, her death was in her time. Looking back I think it is very interesting that my first and last visit to the nursing home were on the night shift. At least the first time I was returning her after a family celebration.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am continuing to enjoy my creative side again learning more about my Cricut cutting machine. I Love it when the items I design turn out well even if they aren’t perfect. My favourite things recently have been personalised chocolate wraps, my glitter baubles wall chart using our Christmas family colours of the last 20 years. Last year was Ice Christmas – white, silver and pale blue. I also created the gift boxes for the table settings. To complete this I also learnt to create stickers.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?
During our recent holiday around the Eyre Peninsula coast, one day we took a trip inland. For some reason we randomly decided to visit the small town of Cleve. We had no reason to, but we were definitely rewarded.
BONNIE- The ClydesdaleBONNIE’S Friend – The Blue Tongue Lizard
In the centre of town we found this amazing sculpture of a Clydesdale horse. As hubby and I stood admiring it, a local man stopped by for a chat. He was a very proud dad. His son, ‘Turtle’ was the creator of the masterpiece and he told us many stories about it. In short, his son is a farmer and was messing about with old tools when he created his first horse sculpture, Clyde which now permanently stand at the entrance to his property.
CLYDE – The original Clydesdale horse sculptureCLYDE’S friend is a Frill Neck Lizard.
Turtle’s latest sculpture is a wedge-tail eagle. This sculpture is currently on a trailer as it is being tried out the front of a few local locations to see which fits best for his permanent home.
The sculptures are all made from scrap metal and engines given to him or bought cheaply at local clearance sales.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I hope 2023 brings you fun, laughter, less stress and definitely more joy. For me 2022 was a mixed bag. I have never taken as much sick leave as I did last year. Fortunately that meant that had plenty. I’ve had covid twice, long covid as well as pneumonia. My husband and I were lucky enough to enjoy 2 holidays in Truby (our slide on camper.) We also rented a house for a weekend away with family to celebrate my 60th birthday. A lot of fun a was had and memories created.
If we were having coffee I would ask you about your Christmas. Our family has a colour-themed Christmas every year hosted by my sister. Last year was Copper. It proved to be a difficult colour for both decorations and clothes. But in the end everyone looked great and my sisters creativity shone through. It looked amazing and a great day was had by all.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that hubby and I are becoming grandparents. We got the exciting news at my 60th birthday weekend away. Due in February our bubba will soon be here.
Ifwe were having coffee I would tell you my surprise at seeing a double rainbow outside my kitchen window. It happened on Wednesday evening 15 minutes after I posted by first blog in eight months. I smiled. And took it as a sign from the universe.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my new toy. I bought myself a Cricut Maker 3 for my 60th. For those of you who don’t what one is, it is a die cutting machine that makes all kinds of crafting simple. It will certainly keep dementia away as there is so much to learn. This Christmas I started by making personalized glitter baubles. I then moved on to basic T-shirts. It is so much fun and I am really enjoying putting my creative hat back on.
If we were having coffee I would confess that I realize my planning for fun on my blog last year didn’t work out. Hindsight tells me that long covid brain fog and travel derailed it. However focusing on excuses won’t help. So now in 2023 I am getting back on track and making new habits. Lucky I have lots of inspiration and now I just have to do it.
Ifwe were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world.
