Night Shift

@Faith-and-Hope, sounds like you have had a very diverse and interesting life, living in those different places. I've only been to north queensland once back in the '80s, as far north than Townsville when I was backpacking with my boyfriend at the time (still a good friend now). The really big storms are up north in Queensland but I've been around for some doozies here in SEQ as well. Used to find them exciting but, as I've reverted to shrinking violet mode a lot more over recent years, I'm like a puppy who hides in the kennel. Silly but true. Love the rain though when it's just falling without the firewords and noise. Seems to be such a release. By the way, I was born in the country and dad was a loungeroom country singer. So much country music heard when I was a youngen'. 🙂

@Faith-and-Hope @Mazarita I've lived in Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Emu Park and Brisbane in Queensland, Byron to Lismore area and Sydney in NSW and in Melbourne (born there and again as a young tertiary student). Now I'm in the NT for the 3rd time living up here. Great distances all over this great country if you're a gypsy like I have been most of my life. My parents were in education and that involved frequent transfers including PNG for 4 1/2 years just prior to independence. Dad was a bit of a higher flyer, getting promoted regularly. And when I left home I just kept moving. I really didn't settle down until 10 years ago - as much as you can with bipolar 1! Even then I would go exploring new areas of the NT quite often until a couple of traumatic events stopped me in my tracks. It's only the last year that I've started adventuring just a little again, mainly due to the encouragement and company of 1 good friend with similar interests.

But I've spent hardly any time in SA or WA or far north QLD - adventures for the future maybe.

@eth, sad to hear of the traumatic events in the NT. Same here when I was at Uluru, though probably not as bad as you may have experienced (from what I've read from you previously). On a brighter note, we might not have been at the Woodford Folk Festival the same year, but we have covered some of the same territory over our lives. I grew up in Melbourne, spent most of my adult life there but also lived in Sydney and Brisbane. Came up this way hoping to end up in Byron but ended up on the coast instead for practical reasons. Have visited Byron, Nimbin, Bangalow and other areas down there though fairly often since being up this way, not for a little while though.

Yes @Mazarita, I am either quite a mix, or quite a mess, depending on your perspective, I guess 😆

My life has been incredibly diverse, although perhaps I didn't appreciate that growing up, and I have made things "worse" by marrying into a European family, becoming bilingual and bicultural in the process ..... thus very interesting children we have produced in the process !!!

I have been told more than once that I am living a best-seller novel. Whether that is a good thing or not, it has been my life, and I am grateful for it. One thing it has never been is dull !!

@Faith-and-Hope, your life sounds culturally rich and interesting. I love that you are bilingual. When I was travelling in Europe I felt lame only speaking one language. Perhaps you will find time to write that best seller novel at some future time. 🙂

Good morning everyone. @Faith-and-Hope @eth @Mazarita @plasmo Loved the ole car talk.

@Former-MemberIts the "calmest week" you have had in a while and it was also your moving house week! Wow! Good night anyway .. you deserve the sleep.

Love to listen to you all chat about travels. There was a time when I liked travel. I am pretty settled now, but yes it is nice to dream.

@Mazarita We had an early dinner .. my son had busked and the house was warm and he flaked .. so we both were out by 9pm but both wide awake now.

I want to check the forum in a tick and see how @Jacques is, I have been thinking of him.

Had a topsy turvy day .. saw a great NZ film with the Carers group called "Hunt for the Wilder People" it is wry and touching about a foster kid ..and a bit tongue and cheek .. set in the bush .. worf a look.

Hi @Appleblossom I've seen your 'likes' popping up. How are you tonight?

@Mazarita stuff happened in Byron too so that I won't go back there any more. But I really love that country, it's addictive. My main living place was in the bottom of a valley with 2 huge waterfalls not far away and a pocket of deep rain forest with huge Cedar trees. I miss it so much. It upsets me that I can't go back because I lost my premmie son there, but it's best I don't. Having so many memories right now.

@Faith-and-Hope I think being bilingual is an amazing skill. What is your other language? It's supposed to be really good for children to be raised bilingual. My Greek neighbour is bilingual and her husband is trilingual despite no school from age 9.

It sounds like you two have quite a cross-over in life history @eth and @Mazarita. I am sure you could write best-seller novels too !! A lot of the experiences sound as though they have been uncomfortable and frightening, but I hope you can sift them a bit with a gentle hand at times, and turn up some precious gems of experiences too .... It sounds as if you are both aware of that, maybe doing some soul-searching currently as you process the mixed assortment of memories.

Its lovely to feel that the forum is supporting you in that quest, and you are taking the time you need. I feel privileged to be here with you. My path has been extremely challenging in other ways, most of it trying to hold things together under the "perfect storm" scenarios we seem to keep encountering, but I am also conscious that we have had extreme outcomes in terms of breaking down, or breaking out of, very negative cycles in the process.

Maybe that is how we have all ended up together on these forums. Maybe that is a common thread to all our life stories. I don't know, I am just very glad to have met you.

Might try to head off to sleep on that note. I hope you have good overnight rest, both of you.

G'nught ❤️

Goodnight @Faith-and-Hope

Hi @Appleblossom, I can relate to busking being tiring so can understand why your son might have flaked afterwards. Travel is mostly a dream for now with me too, just really don't have much an impulse for it at all at this time. Took a lot to get down south to visit mum a couple of months ago, but it was a good trip once I got myself moving. As for living elsewhere these days, not keen, but it may come to that if the rents get too prohibitive at some point where we are. Sounds like we are on almost the same sleep cycle today. Looking forward to hearing anything you have to relate about Jacques. His thread with Karen seems to have gone quiet while I was away down south.

@eth, sorry if our discussion is bringing up painful memories. The dream you related last night was really awful too. I feel for you living with these past traumas. Sounds like a beautiful place where you lived but it being in the past seems okay too. It's often the case that we can't bring back places we once loved, for various reasons, sometimes just time passing and things changing.