This time 12 years ago I was about to leave hospital with a new baby and no idea as to what the hell I was supposed to be doing. I was also shit-scared because of the new mother thing and because I would be raising him on my own.
Fast forward 12 years and we’ve made it this far. He’s now as tall as me and a pretty damn fine human being. He drives me absolutely crazy sometimes but other times I’m overwhelmed with how much I love him.
While we were celebrating his birthday a couple of nights ago the Australian prime minister leadership spill was happening. I could have been watching it unfold but I know what I’d rather have been doing.
Three years ago we were in Bali when Julia Gillard ousted Kevin Rudd and now the reverse has happened. Karma perhaps? I don’t like it and I hope that the Labor party gets its shit together before the election in a few months so that this leadership thing isn’t a focus then.
But politics aside. My boy is 12.
What happened to this little cutie?
Besides my boy turning 12 and the political situation there’s been quite a bit of turmoil in my life. I went to a memorial service last night of a friend of The Surfer’s who died of a brain tumour a couple of weeks ago. It was a memorial service because she’s donated her body to science. I only met her a few times but she was one of those people you instantly like. Even though she had a lot of turmoil in her life she didn’t let it get her down too much and was a very positive person.
And I found out on my son’s birthday that a girl I used to go to school with died in a car accident last week. Too many people I went to school with have died in car accidents. Many of them could have been prevented if drivers weren’t drinking or speeding but I don’t think this last one had either of those factors. Just one of those awful tragic things. So, another family is left to pick up the pieces of an unexpected death.
Oh, and my job situation has been top of mind too. Two weeks ago I had two weeks left of my contract with no work after that. Then in the same week I applied for a three month contract which I am still to find out if I was successful but it’s looking promising and work offered me an extension for another month or so. I’ve extended for two weeks there while I wait to hear about the other job and JJ and I are off on holidays after that for two weeks.
I can’t wait to go away. It’s been three years since we had a decent holiday. This is the trouble with contracting. You get a few months here and there and because there’s an end in sight you think you’ll have a holiday after that and then you get extended again so you don’t feel as though you should go away while you’re in the midst of that contract. This time I knew I was finishing up in late June so I booked a holiday a few months ago and come what may, we’re going. If I miss out on work because of it, then so be it. Too bad. I need a holiday.
It will be me and my 12 year old who is now an adult in buying a plane ticket terms. I suppose he’s as tall as many adults and eats just as much but he has a few years to go to reach maturity and the legal adult age of 18. Not that I’m wishing that time away. It goes too quickly.
But at the memorial service last night I thought of him and thought of the silly arguments we sometimes have and thought how trivial they are. He really matters.
Happy birthday JJ. xx
Aw – happy birthday JJ!! And happy motherversary, Jen – you have done well.
Who knows about the ALP – I think that there is a lot rotten behind the scenes in that particular State of Denmark, and the writing was on the wall well before the election was called – and this latest move is an attempt to get a few more votes than just the stalwarts so they don’t get rolled, because polling was saying that noone really wants to vote for the alternative but Julia represents more than just a female pm, she represents a puppet for a machine that wants power at all costs and is willing to horsetrade and forget both their core and the swingers. But that is just my very uneducated take on the matter. At least Queensland won the footy that night.
Enjoy the holiday – anywhere special?
We’re off to Port Douglas. Can’t wait.