Day 2779 - The Lovin Life Linky - the theme song edition

Day 2779 - The Lovin Life Linky - the theme song edition

Chelsea family lovin life Lovin Life Linky music

Do you have a theme song?

The other night the hubster and I were sitting in the hot tub listening to some tunes when "The Whole of the Moon" came on by The Waterboys.  You know the one?

I pictured a rainbow

You held it in your hands

I had flashes

But you saw the plan

I wandered out in the world for years

While you just stayed in your room

I saw the crescent

You saw the whole of the moon

The whole of the moon

It's a nice little ditty but I can't say I've ever really sat and analysed the words.

My husband said "this song always reminds me of you".

It does?

Apparently before we met he only ever saw the smaller stuff and never aimed very high. He only ever saw the crescent. I helped him reach higher and opened his mind to the possibilities. I saw the whole of the moon. Or something. Isn't that sweet?  He's a keeper.




I love that he has nice songs that remind him of me.

There are a bunch of songs that remind me of him too of course. One of the first songs he ever introduced me to was "Downstream" by Supertramp.  As far as I'm concerned that is our song.

Once when we were in Melbourne at a hotel we asked the piano player if he could play it . He did. We were actually a bit surprised that he knew it.

A year later we walked into the same hotel and the piano player was still there.  We saw the recognition in his eyes and he gave us a small wave. Without a word between us he just started playing it.  It was magic.

Took a boat Sunday, down by the sea

It just felt so nice, you and me

We didn't have a problem or a care

And all around was silence, everywhere

Today as our eldest daughter heads into surgery to have her fourth sarcoma removed, I think the theme song for today might be "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten.

It was always a cool song but it became even cooler for me when teenager Caly sang it on Ellen and in America's Got Talent because it was the song that helped her fight cancer.  She gave the song extra power for me and every time I hear it now I get tingles of emotion and an overall feeling of "let's do this!" runs through my veins.

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

That's what I'm lovin' about life this week.  The fact that music can help us express our feelings and it can also help lift us when we're down.

Do you have a theme song?

What song reminds you of a loved one?

What are you lovin' about life this week? 

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The Lovin' Life Linky is brought to you by Team Lovin' Life: Deep Fried Fruit, Seize the Day Project, Write of the Middle, And Anyways, 50 Shades of Age and Lifestyle Fifty #teamlovinlife

An InLinkz Linkup

Day 2770 - It's time for a catch up

Day 2770 - It's time for a catch up

an update Cheer Chick Charlie Cheer Kids Magazine Chelsea family modelling Ponderings school Tahlia

Let's have a cuppa ...

As I sit here wondering what the hell to blog about, I figured it might be time for a bit of a Deep Fried catch up.

So grab your cuppa - we might be here for a while.

Fibromyalgia and Me

So, without giving it too much energy the fibro is starting to rear its ugly head in a big way.  Body pain is par for the course but it seems that I can now add facial pain to the mix.  I started to notice it a year or so ago when I went for frosty morning walks and my face would complain, but then on the weekend I woke up with quite intense pain in my jaw that went up my cheek bones.  This was the first time it wasn't triggered by the cold. So I googled it and as luck would have it 25% of all fibromyalgia sufferers experience face pain.  Isn't that nice? It's called myofascial pain syndrome and it sucks.

Cheer Chick Charlie

Other than releasing my latest book a couple of months ago it's been pretty quiet on the Cheer Chick Charlie front.  I have some decisions to make because it seems my distributor is not doing as well as they once were which means it must be time for me to take it up a notch and find some new direction.  I am doing a lot of staring into space about this one as my brain ticks over.

Oh, but in other news I did have a Producer contact me last week to see if I might be interested in animating Charlie.  I'm trying not to get too excited just yet as it's very early days but of course I screamed a big HELL YEAH! Her daughter is a fan of the books and her company is looking for a new animation project.  The stars may well be aligning. Watch this space.

Cheer Kids Magazine

Issue (2) of my new children's magazine was released 10 days ago without much fan fare.  I mean, it has been well received and I am super proud of the Best Friends Issue but there's still a lot I could be doing to get the mag "out there".   Again, lots of staring into space right now. Click here to read your free copy. 

Our Boy

Our boy has been struggling a tad this year with school, soccer and being a teenager in general.  We're still working closely with the school in regards to this dyslexia but the older he gets, the more difficult school becomes and the easier it will be for us to "lose him".  So he and I are working extra hard around the edges to ensure he is able to stay on track.  As for soccer, he has yet to go through his big growth spurt and given he's playing up an age (at the club's suggestion) he is feeling very small out there with all the boys who are becoming men.  His dad and I were both late developers so it will take him a while to catch up, but we're assuring him that when he does he'll be towering over them in no time.

The Model Daughter

It's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this week which has meant we've been driving to and from Sydney a lot in the last month for castings.  I think about 2 or 3 trips a week.  It's exhausting but it's all worth it when you see her on the catwalk making her dreams come true.  She'll be walking tomorrow which is very cool.  It's tricky being with a boutique agency during MBFWA as most casting agents prefer to work with the big agencies and IMG dominates the event. So to get a show at all is a win.  Once this week is over she will need to take stock of where things are up to.  Like me, she may be doing a bit of staring into space.  She's been offered the opportunity to go overseas on a modelling contract, or she can move to Sydney and see how she fares there.  Either way she has set herself up to finish her year 12 studies in four weeks in readiness for the next steps.

The Hubster

He's doing well.  He's tired a lot having to deal with the likes of us, but all in all he's having a great year.  The 50s are being kind to him with his focus on health and fitness and his recent silver medal at the Worlds Master's Games (basketball) has given him something solid to feel proud of.  As for work, he's having a great year despite the frustrations and stress that comes with it. 

The big grown up daughter

 Cancer is a prick and there is nothing suckier than watching a young woman go through her fourth tumor in four years.  Her radiation is finished and the trial is also finished and she will have surgery to remove what is left of the tumor next week.  In the meantime she is having to deal with all the bits and pieces around the edges. The radiation burns on her leg, the anxiety and stress cancer can cause, the paperwork and extra bills, the general feeling of feeling constantly tired and unwell, the uncertainty over surgery, the fact that she's off work and life gets put on hold.  Having said all that, she is handling this fourth scarcoma round with grace, dignity, style and even a bit of laughter.  

The grand daughter

Well, really, what's there to be said here? She's a delight! I mean, she's four which also means she can be a handful at times, but as a grandparent anything she does is delightful.  That's the best thing about grand kids.  They can do no wrong. 

The Parents

My folks are always doing something fabulous with their time.  Their energy astounds us all.  If they are not renovating their home with their own bare hands, they are trekking through a jungle or donating their time to charity.  But once again cancer has reared its extremely ugly head and handed Dad with a new health challenge.  He's handling it with positivity, strength and courage.  There is no "woe is me" coming from him at all.  I, on the other hand, did not cope with the news at all. It is the straw that broke Leanne's back.  So yeah, I am doing some more of that staring into space thing.

So that's the Deep Fried update.

Thanks for having a cuppa with me. 

Tell me, what's going on with you?   

Day 2756 - Embracing Grandparenthood

Day 2756 - Embracing Grandparenthood

cancer Chelsea family grandparent

I'm going to let you in on a little secret ...

If you've been following me forever, then you'll know that I'm a grandparent.  You'll also know that because I'm the "step" grandparent that I wanted to only be a grandparent when I felt like it and I'd planned to declare "grandparent immunity" when I didn't.  

Click here here to get the run down on when I first got the grandparent news.

A lot has happened since I wrote that post in 2012.  The big grown up daughter has had to endure far too much for a young mum. 

There's been 4 bouts of cancer, a marriage break up, moving house, lawyers and her return home. Some very dark shadows for our girl, but they are balanced with the sunshine and wonderment of her gorgeous baby. 

Well, that grand baby is not a baby anymore.  In fact today is her birthday and she's 4 years old.

Through all the challenges she's been a constant source of joy for everyone and has made this world a far better place to be.

I can safely say I no longer declare grandparent immunity.  I love being Nanny Lea to this little munchkin and I can't wait to watch her grow and thrive.

Thanks for lighting up our life Lola and happy birthday.