© irene waters 2015
Three things Thursday created by Nerd In the Brain says:”three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy”.
There was so much to smile about this week it is difficult to narrow it down to three items only. Since last week Friday – Thai lunch with Mum – very reasonably priced for a delicious meal which brought a smile, particularly when the huge dessert came. Dancing Saturday, certainly smileworthy, Sunday pottering with my loved ones – smiles all round, productive Monday followed by Toastmasters.
At Noosa Toastmasters I was not the only one smiling.
© irene waters 2015
I have belonged to many groups in my life and find Toastmasters one of the most rewarding. The evening is filled with fun segments that build confidence in speaking both off the cuff and prepared speeches as well as giving skills in running meetings, organising and generally just making the person feel a more confident person in the world. A meeting where someone gives their ice-breaker speech is always a moving experience. The first time they stand in public and talk about a subject they know well – themselves. Tommy received not only a standing ovation for his and plenty of smiles all round, he also was awarded the presidents weekly trophy. It brings a smile just thinking about it.
Tuesday we went on a bus trip to Brisbane. Not having to drive brought a smile; actually it brought a well-needed sleep allowing us to arrive refreshed for a day at the art gallery.
© irene waters Charles Blackman painting
The Charles Blackman exhibition and the eighth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8) with many of the works bringing a smile. Roger and I, renegades at heart, escaped from the crowd and walked into the city, had a coffee followed by lunch. We had been going to hit the shops for some Christmas shopping but saw the sign to the Botanical Gardens and had to wander there. The lush rainforest and the flower gardens are sure to bring a smile.
© irene waters 2015
We wandered back, discovering the maritime museum on the way. At $16 per person entry we decided we didn’t have the time to do it justice but have made a note – must visit on our next trip.
© irene waters 2015
A quick jaunt through South Bank and rejoined our group in the art gallery where we looked further at the wonderful exhibition. Anyone in Brisbane really must go and wander, and watch the smiles of the children in the children’s art exhibit and on both adults and children in the interactive wooden art work.
© irene waters 2015
I loved it all. I played on this structure for ages. Dancing on the logs, twirling screws and sticking my hands where normally one wouldn’t. Such fun, so many smiles.
Wednesday saw another productive day bringing more smiles but what brought the most smiles yesterday was I had a full day without Muffin, the puppy, nipping me and drawing blood. At first I thought she must be sick. The smile drooped until I saw she was her normal active self, just NOT biting me. That brought a huge smile.
© irene waters 2015
So there was no scratching this week to find smiles, I don’t think one left my face for the entire week. Hope your week was full of smiles also.
Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating the Day. Hope it is full of smiles for you.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Probably not as many smiles, but nonetheless, love seeing how much you are stacking into life all the time 🙂
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I can understand you having less smiles. I would too if I was living amidst such sadness and desperation that must be filling Turkey at the moment. Being on the edge of a war zone puts you at the human face of the world’s tragedy. Hope you are staying safe and that the world can quickly work out a way to bring peace.
By the way, I remembered to prune my olives this year. Thanks 🙂
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Haha, good for you 🙂
Yes, the world is not so good right now; but it’ll get worse before it gets better I fear. Hey ho, not much I can do about all that.
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Sadly no there is not much any of us can do.
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Lots of fun here, Irene, but you obviously can’t count – 7 is not the new 3. But glad to know you’re having fun – Muffin too.
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LOL. I never was very good with maths.Hope your week has been good too.
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Smiles all round, especially having an image of you dancing on logs and twirling screws! 🙂
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LOL. Hope the vision didn’t give you nightmares. 🙂
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You and this post makes me smile….and yay, no bite marks for mummy! So lovely to come here and share in so many reasons to be grateful. Toastmasters rocks! Hope all is going well at your conference and a very happy weekend to you Irene…let’s walk and smile 🙂 😀 🙂
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I think the no bites were exhaustion from the heat. A bit cooler and the fangs reappeared. I am now recovering in Melbourne. Yes lets walk and I don’t think we’d need to be told to smile. 🙂
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Oh dear…hopefully she won’t get lessons from Fred 😮 I’m only just catching up today Irene, after spending the weekend away in Brighton for Nicky’s birthday (and a bad week last week for my daughter, but better now…), so I hope to catch up with your latest posts as soon as possible. I hope everything went well in Melbourne, looking forward to hearing all about it 🙂 ❤
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It went well but will do a post in the near future. Sitting at the airport waiting to return. Can’t wait to get home.
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Hope you had a good journey home and all went well. Looking forward to your post. I’ve not been able to blog since my post last week due to myriad ‘stuff’…interspersed with a lovely time with the boys in Brighton…but then one thing after the other (so what’s new pussy cat) and I had a car accident yesterday. I’m fine, but my car’s only 3 months old 😦 And I had to spend the whole morning dealing with insurance companies and repair companies…I wonder if I am meant to write and blog sometimes, it seems more impossible by the day lately…but I won’t give up. Frustrating though…and oh dear, I didn’t mean to rant and rave. I hope you’re having a good week Irene…I will do my best to catch up as I can…love & hugs ❤
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I’m so glad you are okay Sherri. All that paperwork is a pain but not being hurt is most important. Just take some deep breaths and relax. Sometimes you just have to put things on the back burner as life and living has to come first. You’ll get there with your writing. You are much better than I am with the blogging at the moment. I’m getting posts out but look how far behind I am with my responding and I’m not getting around to visit people as often as I would like, or if I do it is on my ipad and I can’t seem to respond on it . Those onscreen keyboards just don’t work for me.All we can do is our best and not beat ourselves up when we can’t manage it. You will get there though. I have total faith in that.
December for me is full of deadlines and Christmas Parties. Once Christmas has been and gone I feel I will be back on top of things. Lots of love (and so happy you are okay after the accident) Irene xx 🙂
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Dear Irene,I so appreciate your kind messages and thoughts not just about the accident – bah humbug! – but about writing too. I don’t have an iPad but use my mobile phone for some apps, but not for the WP one as I won’t put in on there as I know I’ll get in an awful muddle trying to respond from it. It’s bad enough when I use it for Facebook and gmail…so I understand how you feel! I will need to put my book away until the new year and then hit it hard. These things can’t be rushed, and I know I won’t have a spare minute to get to any revisions, especially now with extra car insurance ‘stuff’ and the time of year, but, you are right, life is to be lived first and foremost and I am so grateful that worse didn’t happen. You have a busy time stretched out for you my friend, and quite the social whirl too! You look fab in the FB photo in your red dress, amazing! You will be the belle of the ball at your Christmas parties 😀 I hope you make your deadlines, I’ll try and do what I can with mine, a few more blogging commitments and will sign off before Christmas otherwise I’ll never be ready for when the family arrives. But we’ll keep in touch one way or another in the meantime…and I’ll do my best to do what I can but will remember your wise words. See you soon! Lots of love back 🙂 xxx
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Thank you for the red dress compliment. I am quite amazed as it cost less than 10 pounds bought on the internet. When I completed the transaction the price was significantly more due to free postage not being free. I wrote to them and said they were advertisisng free postage and they came back and said I could have free postage but the dress could take 10 weeks to get there. For 10 pounds who cared. After 3 months I thought it was not coming but it did and surprised it fitted. I think it is the cheapest dress I have ever bought and the one that has gained me the most compliments.
Yes I have a couple more papers to get ready for publication and I too am taking a rest for the remainder of the year. Hopefully that will mean I can return with renewed vigour next year and get it finished, as you will with your memoir.
Yes we’ll keep in touch during the holiday period. Have a wonderful Christmas with the family . Lots of love 🙂
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It’s great when that happens isn’t it? You will get a lot of wear out of your 10 pound dress I think, perfect colour for the season too! So glad it worked out for you, as you say, who cares for the time it took to get it, look at how fab you look in it 🙂 I’m glad you’re taking a rest too, here’s to us both returning refreshed, raring to go and able to finish our projects. Thank you Irene, and again the very same to you for Christmas with lots of love back… 🙂 ❤
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Yes next year will see a few projects finished. Yeah! 🙂
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😀
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A bit late, but smiling with you, nonetheless! I really like Toastmasters, and those involved in reaching out to others to instill professional confidence.
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Can feel your smiles Charli. Although you are busy I know you have a lot of smiles of your own at the moment. I agree re TM – it is fantastic seeing others blossom within the safety of club and then being able to take it out into the world bursting with confidence.
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