Ode to Lela

Firstly I would just like to say, that I am a little annoyed. Today is Monday. Therefore I had a legitimate reason to waffle about what ever 'philosophical' stuff I wanted to. Do you think I can think of anything? No. So instead I thought I would do a belated Valentine's Day-ish tribute to my co-Two Mummy Ducker and to our friendship. Partly because I thought of it and partly to see if she is really checking in to see what rubbish I am writing on our joint blog in our joint names! (*waves* Hi Lela).

This is post is really about one particular aspect. I could write for ages but I would sound stupid and you would all begin to wonder what I had done that I was sucking up to her about.

But I think my favourite thing about our friendship is that in addition to being able to tell Lela everything, I love that we can share our excitement over whatever our latest scheme is. Whether we are planning on doing something together or separately. We can share, get excited and then, after we have been excited, we can talk about details and realities (or otherwise about what we are planning on doing).

For example:-

1. Hundreds of ideas I have had for various books (so far none have been completed but Lela has sounded supportive about every one).
2. An investment club (I have posted about this previously if you are interested. Definitely joint enthusiasm! Both times).
3. Lela's business (I hope I was enthusiastic! And definitely a successful venture).
4. Virtual bookclub (recent plan. Will let you know if it works).
5. Two Mummy Duck adventuring (we are having fun so I think this counts!).

These are just a few examples, but yesterday's 'adventure' I think was one of our stranger ones. And please note, I am using the term 'adventure' very loosely.

Lela's sister-in-law is starting as a consultant for a company that sells, amongst other things, body wraps. Lela is a lovely supportive SIL and has agreed to have a party. Not only that she is so excited about these products that she has got me excited and ready to book a party before I have even seen them!

They are beyond cool. I lost more then 4 cm off my stomach (around my belly button) within a few hours. So clearly her enthusiasm was justified. But we must have looked insanely funny. The children were very confused about all these women getting gladwrap around there tummies. Then we are all rubbing them for best results. My youngest watched with great interest as I carefully re-marked my stomach so I can measure again this afternoon and at 48 hours and 72 hours!

We will update you later on how it all goes from that point of view. What made me smile the most is the wonderfulness of having friends who uplift you and encourage you and laugh with you rather then the ones who drag you down. Our heads are allowed to be in the clouds for a little while before you need to plant your feet on the ground. And being grounded doesn't mean you can't dream!

Safety in numbers

I bet it doesn't come as a surprise that I like doing things with a group. And that I like progress with ... um ... not exactly reward but ... acknowledgement? A sense of achievement? People to celebrate with? Admittedly, I also like the idea of being accountable to other people. Letting down yourself is one thing, but you can't let down your team.

I am part of several "groups" at the moment. Collectively a few girl-friends and I are on a mission to lose some weight, but more importantly to improve our fitness and get healthy. A different friend has also started a book club. We have our first get together on Sunday. I am a little excited about this one.

However the group I am so very, very excited about is a new investment network Lela and I are a part of. A group of women with different backgrounds, pooling our collective financial resources and skills and knowledge to get together and purchase shares. How can this not be exciting?!

This is the second investment network that we have been a part of. The first one was very successful money wise. We got a nice little return at the end of it. We also learnt a lot about running a group like this the first time and we are looking forward to the second generation. As much as making millions would be nice, more importantly it is a way of learning about a whole new area, meeting some new people and taking a little bit of control about our financial future. And who knows?! Depending on how things go, it could end up being a major source for financing our ultimate TMD adventure!

If you have been a part of something like this, please feel free to share any advice with us!

If the mountain won't come to you ....

.... you must go to the mountain.

Today we enjoyed an 'incursion'. (In case this is just an Australian thing or in case you do not have primary school aged children, an 'incursion' is where the performance/activity/thing comes to the school rather then the class going on an excursion. This may have been self explanatory, but it took me a while to catch on. Either that or my daughters may not have been explaining it very well).

After church this morning, Lela very kindly invited us around for lunch. Admittedly it was lunch with a purpose. Lela runs a business from her home and I had offered my services to help out with some bits and pieces. I had so much fun labelling and hole punching and cutting and tying!

So our afternoon: seven ducklings, working, virtual tea (it was too hot for real tea, plus I don't like it!) and pink fairy biscuits. Catching up and working at the same time. We are mama ducks. We are good at multi-tasking.

Once upon a time .....

Every story has a beginning and many have a prequel! This blog is the beginning of our 'dream with a date', but it is not the real beginning of this story.

We became friends just over ten years ago in our (very) late teens when we were both young Girl Guide leaders just out of high school although our paths had crossed before this. Since then we have had seven children between us (currently aged between 2 years and 12 years) and have run Guide units separately and together. Between us we have studied Education, Law and History, had a few business ventures, engaged in other types of work (volunteer and paid), had the fun of bridesmaid duties, supported each other through pregnancies, family and marital problems and health issues.

A trip to Europe, and in particular to the two World Centres found there not to mention the two World Centres out of Europe, has been part of our 'one day' talking for so long I think I had almost forgotten it was something we could actually do. We have finally decided to put a date to our dream and change it from merely dreaming to a goal.

A Princess Party to celebrate the Royal Wedding followed by our (almost) weekly multi-hour phone conversation, combined with a sudden coinciding motivation and we decided to set our date for 10 years time. Every journey must begin with a single step, but we know that every step towards a goal is part of the adventure .... and this is where we are now! And we are determined to make this decade a journey of a lifetime, a long time before we even think about setting foot on that plane!

To finish ... some pictures of us all princessed up to celebrate the Royal Wedding in style.



Lela



Catherine