When together is all that counts

Day 14- A picture of you and your family

Christmas 5 years ago.

My parents, my brother, my two cousins (I only have 4) and one of my aunts.

Oh to be young

it was all so much easier back then

That’s all folks..

So, you heard it here first.
The skate 4 cancer, australian skate is over.
It’s the first time that the team has not finished an across country skate.

Why now?
Well, Rob got sideswiped by a car and damaged his groin. The clutch of the van then blew.
Recovery for the van = 1 week.
Recovery of Rob = 4 – 6 weeks..
And then the outback awaited… Just wasn’t worth it.

Here’s the video to find out more…

Have heart though, the Aus skate will begin again March 2011..
Stay tuned for more..

Tonight is my last night with the skate 4 cancer team, before we depart and fly out to our respective homes tomorrow…
It truly is bittersweet.

I’m gonna miss this.

What Ifs

How would you feel if you were the last person aside from family who saw a person before they died?
How would you feel if you were the person who drove them and dropped them off at the exact spot where they would end their life?
How would you feel, when saying goodbye you could sense something very wrong and different, but it was just a “normal goodbye”?

How would you feel?

It’s been two years now, and I still can’t get over it. I saw you walking towards that spot, where you would leave this earth. I replay that half hour last conversation in my head again and again. No hint. Nothing.

I still remember that eerily weirdness and the chills that ran down my back when I saw you for the last time, and I drove off, thinking that it was strange, and yet I didn’t turn back.

Why didn’t I turn back?

Maybe then I could have seen you the next day as we were supposed to, and the day after, and after that.

Getting that phone call in the middle of the night with the terrible news, destroyed my world.
Having to try and pretend that everything was ok the next day, so I could comfort many younger than me, who looked up to him and me was the biggest strain.
That day remains blurry.

I know you’re smiling down on us. Your lucky puck in your pocket.
Watching us live and love, and watching your stunning girls radiate.
I hope they grow up to be just like you.

I pray that they do.

Flashback

2002 -2006

Rowan

For you.

We never would have imagined.

Have you ever had a very special song with your best friend, that just makes everything perfect.
It can make a crap day seem bearable.
It makes you remember and smile.
It causes excitement.
It reminds you about how amazing your relationship is.

Well, my best friend and I have such a song. It’s a song of a band, that before last night we had only seen once in concert. It’s a song that they never play, because they have had a very significant lineup change.

But this song is truely amazing.

I was exhausted from flying back in from Melbourne and getting in at 1am, only to go to work by 8am.
It was a long hard day, and then the Haste the Day concert loomed.

Everyone else bailed (except for Braden), so Sarah and I travelled into the city in Howie to see them.

The set was so tight, the unfilled room of the amplifier was pleasant, and they were playing a good mix of songs.

I offhandedly commented to Sarah about how totally amazing it would be if they played American Love.
This is a song, we have always shared. That we have listened to on repeat for roadtrips.
That means a lot to us.

She was like, it’d be amazing, but will probably never happen.
The very next song was AMERICAN LOVE.

We both couldn’t believe our eyes and ears and we went completely mental.
I had to film this song of course.

Enjoy.

Exchanging Beauty For The Ashes
Given My Heart To Nothing Real
Exchanging Beauty For the Ashes
Given My Heart To Nothing Real
I’ve Given My Heart Away
To So Many Things
So Many Times I’ve Failed
Help Me Stop This Endless Cycle
Remind Me Of How It Can Be

Take Me Back I Surrender All
Without You My Heart Is Broken

I Never Should have Let You Go
I Never Should have Let You Slip
Through My Arms
I Never Should have Let You Go
I Never Should have Let You Slip
Through My Arms

As The Sun Sets Tonight (I Never Should Have Let You Go)
I’ll Hold You With All That I Am(I Never Should Have Let You Slip Through My Arms)
As The Sun Sets Tonight (I Never Should Have Let You Go)
I’ll Hold You With All That I Am(I Never Should Have Let You Slip Through My Arms)
As The Sun Sets Tonight (I Never Should Have Let You Go)
I’ll Hold You With All That I Am(I Never Should Have Let You Slip Through My Arms)

I Never Should Have Let You Go
Promise me, you’d stay with me forever, forever
I Never Should Have Let You Go
Promise me, you’d stay with me forever, forever
I Never Should Have Let You Go
Promise me, you’d stay with me forever, forever
Forgive me

For running so quickly to the outside
For running so quickly to the outside

Little Nine Year Olds

Always the Smallest

I’m on the far left – we are all the same age, except for Lynnie who was 3 years younger than us. I’ve always told people how growing up I was minute in comparison to others. Here’s your proof. 🙂

Talk about a flashback.

Best Friends, Birthdays and High Heels

Hit Box Deli for Dinner (and for most, cocktails) and the Subiaco Hotel for Dancing, Chatting, Avoiding Sleazy Guys and Listening to the Coverband, whose mixing definitely could have been better.

Designated Driver at your service once again.
I actually enjoy partying sober continually and watching tipsy friends and the things they do.
It also allows me to step in and intervene to make sure nothing stupid happens.

 This is the birthday girl and the newly turned 22 year old.

 

The Best Friend

 

 

These are the other best friends and myself.

 

We were definitely the hottest table at the club restaurant. Having them accidently garnish my meal with parmesan before bringing it out, saw me having the biggest serving at the table when the new meal arrived. I think they felt guilty. The perks to being Vegan.

 

Table of Attractiveness

 

 

 

Lots of driving, lots of avoiding slipping on wooden floors in stillettos and running away from men declaring their drunken love for us, saw me having one of the highlights of every evening: getting home, taking off the high heels, walking barefoot across the cold floor and wearing no bra – being free and unrestricted.

I love my friends. I love how we are different. 
I love how they are so beautiful inside. 
I love how they are family, when I am so far from home.

xoxo

 

Bathroom Shot

 

Got to watch the rugby (see tv in background). My team thrashed the Lions.

 

Educators of the Next Generation. Are you scared?

One of my students who graduated last year.