Wednesday 31 December 2014

Looking through rose coloured glasses

This is one of my favourite times of the year.



And the food may have something to do with it all 
You know, the lazy summer days between Christmas and New Year when you are still on holiday, still in the festive mood and still refusing to wear anything other than clothes made of the stretchiest of fabrics.

Of course we all know that the fun and games will end in tears. Like on that first day back to work when none of your clothes will zip up but hey, we are living for today not tomorrow, right?

Christmas was great. Great weather, great company, great food and Santa was kind.

Christmas Eve, on the other hand, was rubbish with a capital R.

On the way to my daughter's place for Christmas I stopped off at a hardware store to pick up some garden items. While there, and after walking the length and breadth of the store several times, I popped into the cafĂ© for a quick lunch. As I heartily bit into a Cajun chicken wrap I heard a loud crunch......... mmmm, that would have been one of my teeth. Oh @#%$!!!

Alright, I can hear you shouting from over there, "Who goes to a hardware store for lunch?" "What kind of hardware do they put in their wraps?"

I know, I hear you, but I was really, really hungry.

I quickly phoned my daughter and thankfully she was able to book an emergency appointment with her dentist for later that afternoon. When I arrived at her home, I took off my shoes and lay on the lounge consumed with self pity.   Ten minutes later I sat bolt upright when I heard my daughter's screams. Stella, her eight month old puppy, had taken my sandal outside and was enthusiastically chewing on it as if it was her favourite bone. We managed to save the shoe before it was totally ruined.


She may have eaten my shoe in retaliation for being dressed like a reindeer so I guess I can't be too mad
Which, was just as well given I was due at the dentist in less than an hour. I now had one and a half  shoes and no others to wear. My daughter couldn't help because not only was she laughing hysterically but her feet are two sizes smaller than mine. Talk about the ugly step sister trying to fit into Cinderella's shoes. It was just not going to happen.

So, when I arrived at the dentist I had to explain not only why I had a broken tooth but also why I had a broken shoe. He must have been high on laughing gas based on his reaction. Thank goodness I am not easily humiliated.

I just choose to ignore the obvious sometimes and put on my rose coloured glasses.

There are always unexpected challenges and life is very good at throwing us curveballs, large and small, to stop us in our tracks. Who knows what 2015 will bring.  2014 was a happy year for me. I tried very hard to live in the present, not the future or that dreaded past which has consumed my life for too many years. I am getting good at accepting whatever comes  - the good, the bad, the indifferent. It is what it is. We do what we have to do and keep walking even if we have to crawl sometimes.

Noooooo, I have not started drinking for New Years yet.....I am serious.  Acceptance is a beautiful thing.

Of course, the world around us continues to implode and leaves us all shaking our heads. It makes me more thankful for what I have and much less inclined to travel though. Yet still, the world comes to me through Airbnb. Over three months, I have had guests from Beijing, Shanghai, Paris, New York, Singapore, London, Cornwall and many more places. I have learnt so much from them and  best of all it has reinforced what I have known through blogging for years.

And that is that the majority of human beings are essentially the same no matter where we live, what our religion may happen to be or what our politics are. People are just good and decent.

So my friends, I wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year and I sincerely wish that 2015 will be wonderful for you and yours. I expect one of my resolutions for the coming year will be to write more posts and read more blogs. Who knows how that will go.

Now, I am off to the online Sales to buy some new shoes......sip champagne and bring in the New Year in style. Of course I am keeping my rose coloured glasses on in 2015. They are magic!






41 comments:

  1. Great see you blogging again, Lilly! Happy New Year to you and yours.

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    1. Thanks Mike. Hope you are having a snowy New Year over there.

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  2. Happy 2015 to you. Oh my you make laugh. Glad you are happy and you are rocking those specs Elton John style. XXX

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    1. Yeah I thought Elton John too lol. Happy New Year!!!!

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  3. A Very Happy New Year to you and yours, my dear Lilly......Rose Colored Glasses are an essential at certain times in one's life---like ALL the time, these days....!!! (lol)
    Sending you Hugs for the New Year, my dear!

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    1. Essential all through life I think in one way or another. Hope you are well and I shall pop over to see what you have been doing. Big hugs to you too!!

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  4. Happy New Year Lilly, so great to hear from you! Sorry about that tooth!

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    1. My tooth is all good now thanks to the marvels of modern dentistry! Happy New Year to you too Christine. I shall be over to check what you have been up to.

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  5. "...I have had way too much practice at it over the years" - I think many of us have had many a sorted practices.
    Instead of sipping champagne from a shoe/slipper, I suggest using a dog bone since Stella is going to get a hold of it anyway.
    Happy New Year.

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    1. Ha ha ha, oh Bill I miss you. You make me laugh! Happy New Year to you and stay out of the cold!!!

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  6. Oh it's great to have you back blogging Lilly!
    Your humorous writing is such a joy to read. Wow you do get into some prickly situations, but I can see having those rose coloured glasses will always get you though whatever life throws at you.....the good, bad and the indifferent.

    Keep shining my beautiful friend.
    Big hugs
    Peggy xxxxxx

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    1. A belated thanks Peggy. I shall be over to visit your blog today!

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  7. Happy New Year lovely Lilly! My son and I are spending January in Cocoa Beach Florida in sunshine and warmth .. with limited access to the Internet! Wanted to get my best wish for health and happiness to you Down Under!

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    1. Thanks Helen, much love to you and your family.

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  8. Rose coloured glasses are always a good thing! There are so many challenges in life that if we didn't think positively then we would all be severely depressed. I love the dog - is it a Labrador? I have a beautiful female Lab called Jada. Also I am an Airbnb host. I just drove my two Japanese guests to the airport this morning and this afternoon I have an English lady and her daughter arriving. It is a great way of meeting people from all over the world. I love it!

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    1. Kathy we will have to compare notes on the Airbnb experience. It is indeed greatl

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  9. STELLA!?!?!?! Not the SHOES, never the shoes!!! Ha! So sorry she got to yours. I guess she was sleeping during that part of obedience school ;-)

    And your tooth. Yikes. I hope that was a simple fix for you.

    I'm happy to hear you are enjoying your Airbnb guests. I've yet to travel and try it myself but my friends all rave about their experiences.

    Wishing you a wonderful 2015, Lilly. You have the right attitude-- and one I should follow a little more. Can't wait to read about what the year holds for you.

    xoxo jj

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    1. Yep I am trying hard on the attitude thing Joanna... its a journey but worth it.

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  10. Look at that sweet innocent puppy I do not believe a word about her chewing your shoes. They are little buggers sometimes that is for sure. Happy New Year. I am so glad it was a good one in 2014 and I wish you all the best for this year too. I cannot believe it is 2015 as it seems like yesterday we were celebrating 2000.

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    1. Yeah Anton sweet alright...,.mostly anyway.

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  11. Glad to hear your story will have a happy ending.

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  12. Your posts are real and rose colored, that's why I love coming to visit your blog. You are honest and yet you can laugh through it all, which is amazing at times :) Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!

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    1. You are a sweetheart Aleta. And I hope 2015 is a great one for you and your family too.

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  13. Ooh, tough Christmas! Those rose-colored glasses can come in handy!

    Happy New Year!

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    1. I wear them permanently. They work well lol

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  14. Happy New Year to you too!

    Robin's been offered a position with a "Department", that's why Batman has been roaming the streets of Canberra and browsing the listings on AirBnB.

    Hope the tooth is better, in time for the Choc Easter Bunny and buns now selling in Coles!

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  15. How cute...and the dog ain't bad either.

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  16. Stella looks very repentant in that photo. Yikes! So sorry about your broken tooth. Ouch! I hope it got fixed with minimum pain and that you're good as new. Happy New Year, Lilly!

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    1. Oops its February already Kay. Happy New Year to you and Art too.

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  17. Love your photos, and I am sorry to hear about your tooth. Happy 2015.

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  18. Oh how funny. That puppy is the cutest!

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  19. So glad you stopped by today, my dear Lilly.....I haven't been blogging since late in December.....I've not been feeling well and just don't have the energy for it.....But....I'm hoping to post something soon---Time will tell!
    I hope you are well, dear Lilly.....I cannot believe it is February 11th, 2015.....How did that happen???
    Another pair of Rose Colored Glasses, please-----This Instant!!

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  20. so is summer about over down under? Any chance of a blog post in your forecast?

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  21. it's amazing how airbnb has helped you experience different cultures and changed your perspective.People travel miles to experience different cultures and you get them sitting right at your home. How awesome!

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  23. Hello my dear friend Lilly. I was thinking about you today and hoping all is well in your world.
    As always I send you warmest heart hugs and waves of light.
    Keep shining
    Peggyxxxxxx

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  24. Hey a quick edit (2015 changed to 2016) and you could reuse this post again.

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Thanks for your comments.