Being Prepared

Its funny how a moment in the past ( or in my case many moments) can prepare you for the path your life takes. My elder brother was born with serious eye problems. It resulted in many years of hospitalization, visits to doctors and a barrage of teasing from kids. He normally wore an eye patch after surgery or very thick glasses. Being younger I never really realized the extent of the medical side of things but boy did I know all about the teasing and bullying. I became his little champion. I gave it back to them as he never seemed to have a comeback to the teasing and taunts. During a friendly wrestling between us the glasses snapped. I ran screaming to my parents that I had just killed him.....so connected were those glasses and my image of his life. We've come a long way since those days but some things never alter. I recall that at one of his earliest jobs the boss was as bad as the playground kids that he thought he had left behind at school. Today he still has issues with his vision and sadly his sight is deteriorating This hasn't stopped him being extremely successful in his career or traveling the world extensively. It has however robbed him of finding security in a relationship. The preparation of having someones back and standing up to small minded people who are quick to criticize what they don't understand has been very good training for my present position. My daughter was born with a rare genetic syndrome, Cohens Syndrome.I'll always have her back simply because I love her. This weekend we are traveling a long way to meet up with other families from all around Australia who know my life inside out, even though we have never met.They too have a child, or in some cases children who also have the same syndrome.Thanks to the power of the internet I have been able to connect with people who know my world......I can't wait. As there are less than 1000 diagnosed cases worldwide we will been in very rare company. And finally my daughter who struggles to connect with this world every single day will be welcomed to her world and just maybe she will find a friend.

My Fathers Hands

With just a whole lot of pride and a great big whoosh of love we celebrated my dads 80th birthday.

With 80 years of hard work behind him it's now time for him to sit back and enjoy these years.......perhaps for some but not my dad.

He would modestly describe himself as a carpenter, but he's achieved so much more. He painstakingly built our family home with every year seeing a new modification, we had a cellar under the house that was the envy of all.

Every relative and friend have called on him over the years to add to their homes time and time again. I have fortunately been the recipient of his skills and proudly know that my house is strong, safe and secure.  Built with my fathers hands.

At 80 you will still find him labouring long and hard on a building project and now my son has a house in need of work so of course there he is at it again.

I think he was a bit in awe of our gift to him but like the skilled craftsman I know him to be it wasn't long until he had conquered a new puzzle.

Happy Birthday Dad xxx

Enjoy your new technology