Happy International Women's Day

Well I was belated in celebrating my gender's special day. Actually feel quite guilty that I have only participated in a few (ahem, one) special women's day's event. I went to a breakfast where Judy Horacek was the guest speaker. She rocks. I should get one of her books for my Mum. 

 Scarily enough, my Mum was over at my house cleaning (yep, scary#1: she enjoys cleaning) and she started reading my copy of David Byrne's The Bicycle Diaries. We have the same reading taste=scary#2. 

 Yesterday was the 4th meeting of the mother's group. I was all proud because the other Mum's commented on Lu's energy and sociability, how active and friendly he was. Then he rolled onto his belly, eyeballed other kids and tried to high five them on their face. He seems to really crave interactoin and stimulation with other people and grizzles when it's a boring day at home. At least this makes me feel less guilty about him starting childcare soon. I was also glad when our nurse facilitator tactfully dismissed the misleading advice given by "specialists" that contradicts the WHO guidelines. Am very very over specialists who don't keep up to date, or can't validate their instructions with a reference/source. But I am also over/moved on from the days when it used to get me-have the confidence now to navigate my own way and rely less on health providers and more on my own family and friends. 

Finished watching The Misfits today; love the character of Nathan as played by the actor Robert, his behind the scenes footage proved he is well cast,  the brattiness and cheek that you can't help laughing at. Reminded me of when we were asked to describe the qualities we hope our child will develop by adulthood and what plan we had in place to get there (ummm?). I suggested camping trips, figuring that the hard difficult trips where you have to rely on your own resources and entertain yourself with a couple of sticks are character building... turned out everyone's "favourite" childhood holiday revolved around road trips where cars broke down and hours were killed. (Though were they favourite at the time?) My favourite family holiday would be WA in 1985, which included a 10 hour bus trip between Esperance and Perth. That was hideous, especially the realisation that I had to do it all over again at the end of the holiday.  Can also remember being horrified to see teenagers smoking during the toilet breaks... but the coastline of Esperance, once we got there, was brilliant-a sociable friendly town beach, more entertaining bay with a french name and more desolate and dramatic coastline once you drove away. Another beach holiday at Aldinga, had the same resonance, access to the coastline at all times of the day: night time when the waves are still crashing, but the beach is abandoned and lonely; early morning when people brave the chill; mid morning when you work yourself hard, using the first energy of the day; midday when it's hot, followed by a noon snooze; late in the afternoon when the waves foam and reach a perfect rhythm and you could keep taking your board out forever. Then playing in the sandhills and cliffs when you are dressed and have sneakers to help you navigate the terrain; dusk when you watch the evening fisherman; sunset when you are preparing the beach fire; night time when you snuggle into your hood. A mishmash of how time was spent at Esperance, Aldinga and Maria Island.