Shouts From Down Under

Off the soap box and get back into MY box, my wife says...

Here, in Australia, it is New Year's eve 2013.

Our eldest son was born on this day, 21 years ago, in a hospital in Sydney NSW.

I remember it very well, because my poor wife had endured 48 difficult hours finally accepting an epidural birth. He was overdue and didn't want to be born into this world.

I was the first to see him, apart from a nurse, and he had a dark angry looking face.

But I'm happy and proud to say that since that time he hasn't looked back.

There have been times best forgotten as there always seems to be in our growing up years, but now he's a strapping young tradesman carpenter looking to study Architecture at Uni next year.

So today, I want to wish him a Happy Twenty First Birthday with much love from us both. (And from his younger brother and sister of course)

He's not a writer, although that may come later, and I'd like to think that one day, in the distant future maybe, when I'm gone, he'll be able to read here, along with his children, how deeply I love him, and how satisfied I am with the way he's conducted himself, battled through situations and problems that would have staggered a man three times his age.

Hard work never killed anyone, but this was way beyond that. I want to say how much I miss him when he's not here.
Every parent is the same I guess. I'm just happy that we are the sort of family who though we may not agree on everything, and some things couldn't disagree more, that we have still stuck together, and I know that if the chips were down, he'd pull together with us all as a single united family.

In this day and age when it sometimes seems a good idea, and fashionable, to pooh pooh the family unit, and to have little confidence in our collective rebellious youth, this young man is a shining, upright example.

Oh he has his let down yo hair times. For some reason he seems to think it's a good idea to leave our premises in his Ute with a sustained loss of traction. There must be a bit of oil on the road or something. He just can't seem to get any grip. Can't imagine where he might have found that trait. Naughty boy.

Yes, if he ever reads my blog, his kids, or Grand kids, I hope they have fond memories of me. Because there seems to be those years when we want to be anywhere but with our parents. It's just the natural part of life, and we wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes writing isn't the escape we try to make out it is.

But let's not be all depressing and maudlin, because I think 2014 is going to be THE YEAR, when a lot of things will happen, and maybe for the best; changes, improvements (our bathroom done up by a 21 year old, wooh hooh!) and another kid onto the ranks of Learner driver.

I have to say here, before it's forgotten, that this is the last blog entry I'll be doing this year.

And as I wish everyone on WDC the best for 2014, all jokes aside, I'll not be doing another blog for some time. We are going away for a few days, and then I have to travel to the mainland, as my Dad is having cancer treatment, so my mother needs a bit of help making sure she doesn't get into too much mischief.

There WILL BE TIME FOR EDITING of my novels, and I hope to blog more from there.

NSW and my home town of Coonabarabran, is 1000klm from Melbourne (1 000 kilometres = 621.371 192 24 miles). But I won't be driving there by car.
We live in a glorious era of cheap flights, so I'll be flying from Launceston (about an hours drive from here) straight to Sydney where I have yet to make arrangements to travel by car to my hometown.

So, thanks so much, everybody on WDC and those who aren't, for your support and tolerance of my erratic and crazy blog subjects. I hope you enjoyed them, and I try to write of things I feel will be of interest, and not shy away from uncomfortable stuff that I want to say.

I think it's important to just say it! I wasn't always like this. And in person I find it difficult to just say it! But I'm improving.
Coming close to losing a loved one, and actually losing other loved ones, gives you are real kick in the backside as far as saying stuff that you should.

Thanks again, and a special thank you to all those in the Hannah ♫♥♫ Paper Doll Gang, and all the others who have become people I look forward to sharing stuff on WDC.
Some stuff perhaps people would rather I didn't share

A special thanks for Sugar Rose Dupre who is always there. That's a true friend. Also the hidden support of a couple of people I don't know as well as I'd like; thanks for all your personal efforts on this site, The StoryMaster , The StoryMistress and Writing.Com Staff .

I feel like I'm leaving out so many people who have encouraged me, and made a difference you could hardly imagine.

Happiness is an illusory goal people. Feeling, and being included is where it's at, and WDC is where that's at.

As I said, Happy Birthday to our son. We love you very much. (He put the wheelbarrow together for my Christmas present)



Sparky