Heath Ledger - May He Rest In Peace

Born on April 4th, 1979 - Died on January 22nd, 2008Click on image to enlarge

2008 Goals

It's been a very busy week and an upsetting one too. My 17 year old niece was held up at gunpoint at the local video shop where she worked on Sunday evening. It was in the news - Click here to read more. Naturally, Skye is very traumatised and won't be returning to work and she will also need to attend counselling for victims of crime. I feel so angry that someone has done this to my niece but, as with Michelle's car accident, we are trying to be positive and are grateful that it wasn't worse. Sometimes, it's so easy to take things for granted but it's moments like these that put into perspective how precious life is and how it can all change in a heartbeat.

On another note, I have finally done up my 2008 Goals list. I'm going to print it out and post it on the corkboard in my room so I am reminded daily of my goals. I plan to start focusing on my goals from the beginning of February as, currently, Aaron is on school holidays so we have lots of stuff happening.


Michelle came over to visit today and is still very sore and tender from the accident. We had a nice day together though.

I can't believe how fast the school holidays have gone....the kids go back to school next week!! My baby will be in Grade Four!

Great Egret - Stage Three - Work In Progress (Final?)

It's been just over a week since I've posted to my blog. What a slacker I've been....well, not really, I've had a rough time of it with my eyes. They have been feeling very sore and strained since I set up the three computers so I haven't been able to stare at a monitor screen for too long because the glare starts causing my eyes to water. Thankfully, they are getting better, albeit slowly.

Today, I think I finished the Egret art card. See Stage Two here. I'm not sure if I'll tweak it a little more yet.
Great Egret - 2½" x 3½" art card - Derwent Coloured Pencil/Matisse Acrylic - © Serena Lewis

Two weeks in one post

I've barely managed any time online at all lately. My son, Aaron, turned 9 on the 23rd December and everything has pretty much been a fast-paced blur since. We celebrated Aaron's birthday with a family party and everyone had a great time.

Then, Christmas arrived two days later. Another busy day! I had my Mum and Dad coming for the day also. My daughter, Michelle, and her boyfriend, Alex, arrived later in the afternoon and stayed overnight so they could spend Boxing Day (Dec. 26th) with us too. I think I managed to get the tree down on the 28th.

A family friend was very kind and generous in giving the kids and I two computers with accessories (prior to Christmas) so I'm still in the process of setting those up too with program installations etc....almost done. As these computers are more updated than the one I currently use, I am also swapping mine over with one of them. My Mum and Dad will be getting the cast off (mine) as my Mum suffers terribly with Rheumatoid Arthritis and finds it difficult to hold a pen. So now, she will be able to type her letters.

On the December 30th, I was out shopping when Michelle (daughter) rang to say that she and Alex were involved in a car accident. They had been sitting at the traffic lights and, when it turned green, they started on their way but a woman decided to speed through the red light and collected them in the intersection. Michelle suffered severe whiplash and her back and abdominal muscles were effected too. Alex took a hit to his head but seems okay now. I shudder to think how bad it could have been, if it had been just a few seconds more, because Alex would have copped the full force of the woman's speeding car and Michelle would have been in worse way too. The woman who hit them wasn't even insured.....maddening! I am so grateful they are both okay.....can't say the same for Alex's car though. It's a write-off.


At Michelle's request, I had opted to have the family New Year's Eve party here at my place. My niece and nephew came up with the idea to have a theme so everybody had to come dressed in.....FLURO colours! I hate fluro but who am I to be a party pooper.

The 31st arrived and my sister and I got busy with food preparations in the morning whilst my nephew put up a three bedroom tent in the back yard so there would be plenty of sleeping options.

Michelle and Alex arrived earlier in the afternoon to settle in. Michelle wasn't looking too well and still in pain so lay down for a while, however, when she got up she was overcome with waves of nausea. That settled a little and, shortly after, my sister and her family arrived to party on for New Year. Michelle then ended up having some sort of attack where she felt she couldn't breathe. I called for an ambulance and she and Alex ended up at the hospital for three hours before being given the all clear to go home. My son, Beau, and I went over to pick them up and we made it back in the nick of time to bring in 2008 with the rest of the family.

I have to chuckle because one of the paramedics commented to Alex that it was pretty bright in the house when they arrived to attend to Michelle....he was referring to us all being decked out in fluro gear. I will let you be the judge. Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of everyone who attended.

We followed through with the family tradition of 'first-footing' which has Scottish origins. Traditionally, a tall, dark stranger is supposed to come to the door straight after midnight with a piece of coal, food or coin and the resident and visitor toast in the New Year. This is supposed to bring a prosperous year for the household. Alex is not a stranger but two out three ain't bad.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!