Two in one weekend!

On Monday when I got to work, our building had been broken into, the doors smashed, quite a bit of damage to filing cabinets and fixtures, but I couldn't find anything but a small amount of petty cash missing. All the computer equipment, tv, dvds etc were there. When Tuija arrived an hour later - I start at 7:30am, she arrived as the police did. We found a digital camera and a safe was missing. Stupid thieves really - we are a charitable organisation that tries to survive on miminal govt funding. We work with some of the least powerful people in our society- women with intellectual and learning disabilities. I wonder just why they thought we would have anything? Turns out the safe was empty - I didn't even know we had one, and the camera was missing the memory card. Forensics told us that the would be thieves wore gloves, and now our front door -upstairs- and the glass doors down stairs are bolted into what remains of the door frames till our landlord can get them replaced. Luckily we also have rear doors through the kitchen.

On a much brighter note we had our launch in Logan at CASV, on the Friday. Three of the women who come to WWILD volunteered to go with us and talk about what it's like to be a WWILD woman and use the counselling services and attend the group work that we provide.

WWILD is funded to cover the whole of QLD - a big ask when there are 2.5 0f us and I'm the only counsellor. But we have established the work in the Nth Brisbane area and we found we were getting quite a few people from the Logan/Ipswich area, so we negotiated with CASV, an established Sexual Assault Service in Logan, for some space and I'll be working there on the second Friday of each month. It's a small step but maybe we can show there is a need and maybe even get our funding increased to employ more staff.

Today I bought myself this book from Book Depository UK, I've just discovered them and I suspect they will be getting more business from me. Free shipping to anywhere and great prices - but I digress! I've been feeling stuck, and without time, for my quilting and I hope this will give me lots of inspiration.

There's an exhibition Quilts 1700-2010 at the V and A in London and this will be a good substitute.

Best Intentions

and now it's March! Just where do the days and weeks go?

This will be a quick update of my boring life.

Christmas in Canberra.

As Linda (my youngest sister) decided to come to Surfers with her three girls and granddaughter for Christmas, I took the opportunity to go to Canberra to spend Christmas and New Year with my kids and catch up with friends.

I had a great time staying with Jess and Ben, we ate at some great restaurants, and had a simple Christmas lunch at Dan's new house. Both the kids had moved since I last visited - Jess twice!

Molly is still with Dan, and Jess played Santa Christmas morning when we got to Dan's.



Earlier Dan had come over to Jess's and she was trying to put up her Christmas lights, their new place is smaller and she was struggling. Dan volunteered to be her tree and wear the lights.

Our Christmas lunch at Dan's. We had prawns, boerwors and ham, Ben stood in the rain to cook the braii, roast pumpkin, potatoe salad and a beetroot salad.

I made trifle and we also had plum pudding - we had that New Years Day.

This is Jess and Ben's place in Lynham, Ben works at Tilley's. And Dan in front of his house on Captain Cook cres Griffith. Great old art deco home with a huge yard.

I got to spend time with Trish, Jacqueline and Cathy. Trish, Jess and I spent time at the gallery. I visited with Cathy and Geoff and also went with them to Cheryl's.

February saw Mum and I travelling to the Hunter Valley to attend Chris and Kelly's wedding. It was a lovely wedding and a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends. Some I hadn't seen in over 30 years. When did we get to be the oldies?

March saw me travelling to Adelaide for the Summer School at the Dulwich centre for Narrative Therapy. I always love my trips down there, such inspiration and lovely to just immerse in all the possibilities and extensions of Narrative Practice - hard to believe I've been working that way for 10 years now. I could live in Adelaide - if I had the money to live a leisurely life within the 1 mile city square- great architecture, gardens, restaurants and lifestyle. Loved sharing meals with friends and colleagues along Hutt st. One night I had goat curry and another buffalo curry and the most exquisite Nepalese mango/pistachio/spice ice cream.