Cowboy Fesses Up, Heather Cleans Up and I Give Up

Sharnanigans!

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• Cowboy on : Life with Sharnanigans
• Swapping Roles
• Heather wins AGAIN!

Cowboy on : Life with Sharnanigans Posted: 17 May 2010 11:17 PM PDT Cowboy fesses up about living with a girl who writes poems about fitted sheets.

Swapping Roles Posted: 17 May 2010 10:31 PM PDT After tearing my hair out from what I thought was Monte-induced insanity the last couple of days, I finally channeled the Swami and am learning some lessons...

Heather wins AGAIN! Posted: 17 May 2010 08:16 PM PDT Congrats Heather Conroy you are the winner of the Meatless Monday challenge - thanks Nikki Griffin for running the competition.

Swapping Roles

Sometimes I'm not sure who is the wisest in this Mother/Son game... hoot hoot...

"The value of marriage is not that adults produce children, but that children produce adults." - Peter de Vries

I was having an online chat with my friend Juliette today, she always inspires me - she home-schools her son, runs an inspirational book store and is soon to go to America to do a workshop based upon 'Nurturing Spirituality in Children', with author of said book, Peggy Joy Jenkins.

She is so excited about this her words danced off the screen and did a little jig around my lounge room!

I confessed to Juliette that I was struggling to nurture the spirituality in Monte, though I desperately wish I could.

By that I mean  I want to nurture what is natural and authentic about him before modern and pop culture influence him to such a degree that he starts to lose sight of the very soul that he is.

Even though I am passionate about this subject, I still put him in front of the TV so I can write.

The last couple of days have been challenging to say the least. I'm not sure whether it's because Monte has entered a new phase of independence or if I am just losing the plot or a combination of the two but suffice it to say mayhem has a new address.

Every new phase Monte enters, I enter one as well.

Traditionally, you think of raising the child as the parent teaching all they know to this innocent little being, and it is the parent that is all wise and knowing- but it is the opposite, my God it is the opposite.

I am the student and Monte is the teacher.

In the last couple of days Monte has really been focusing on areas I need to develop: Patience and presence of mind.

To teach me these tough lessons he has come up with some really creative techniques...

please read the rest over here...

Meet Natasha AND (drumroll please) THE COWBOY!!

Sharnanigans!

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• Natasha David
• Cowboy on “Being Australian”

Natasha David Posted: 16 May 2010 03:08 PM PDT Natasha works in PR, has her own kinesiology business and dabbles in stand up comedy and is an all-round fascinating gal - come meet my reader of the week!

Cowboy on “Being Australian” Posted: 16 May 2010 03:04 PM PDT Reader Andrew asks Cowboy what makes a "real Australian" and if the man on the land is a dying breed.

Ask the Cowboy, Camera Victory & A Day In The Life

Sharnanigans!

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• Ask The Cowboy
• Mama Mia Here I Go Again
• A Day In The Life

Ask The Cowboy Posted: 14 May 2010 03:25 PM PDT Is it time for the elusive Cowboy to step out from the shadows? The Sharnanigans Team need your questions!!

Mama Mia Here I Go Again Posted: 13 May 2010 09:04 PM PDT Thanks to everyone who voted. I am now the very proud winner of a Samsung Camera.

A Day In The Life Posted: 13 May 2010 07:54 PM PDT Honest, warm and engaging - A Day in the Life is this week's Friday Fertilizer. Grab a cuppa and go on over meet Corinne!

Virtual Stylist & a Giveaway !

Sharnanigans!

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Virtually Styled! Posted: 13 May 2010 03:07 PM PDT Nikki Parkinson is my style guru. Her website Styling You is so wonderful I approached her for some 'virtual' assistance. In this post she becomes my cyber Trinny & Susannah and offers some fantastic style advice for all women!

GIVEAWAY TIME! Posted: 12 May 2010 11:08 PM PDT Unique and funky gift pack of 6 cards designed by Wild Fillies Photography to giveaway. Your creative ideas needed....

BLOGGY GET TOGETHER OHT

Any Grass Watering, fun lovin' , life livin' , adventure seeking friends who til now only know me in an online capacity want to come to the OHT for a weekend of bloggy socialising mayhem?

3/4 July is the date.

It's off the beaten track, but hey, when is the last time you stepped off the beaten track?

Isn't it time you did?

Step AWAY from the computer and meet some of these people who you comment with on a daily basis.

Yes, I am calling for REAL LIFE COMMENTING - over some vinos and beers and food! Perhaps on a kayak down the Murrumbidgee river... ?? 

If you can fly to Griffith (NSW - Rex Airlines) I can get you here.

I am working on some sponsorship with the aim all you will need to pay for is your trip here....

Let me know asap if you are interested.

Plenty of Mother's Day Cheer here!!

Hi Chronicles Diehard Fans haha - went a bit nuts yesterday with Mother's Day pieces, an ode to the Fitted Sheet & even a tasty recipe.... have a lovely day - and you can read any that might tickle your fancy by clicking below.

Sharnanigans!

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• Mother’s Day Winners!
• Fitted Sheet
• 10 Perplexing things about Motherhood
• Instant Cook!

Mother’s Day Winners! Posted: 08 May 2010 03:38 PM PDT Winners of the Little Acorn Books Mother's Day Giveaway Announced...

Fitted Sheet Posted: 08 May 2010 03:38 AM PDT An Ode to my nemesis

10 Perplexing things about Motherhood Posted: 08 May 2010 03:00 AM PDT A mothers day special...

Instant Cook! Posted: 07 May 2010 10:19 PM PDT I have been possessed by a gourmet chef (well to me I am) Somebody STOP ME!

Helping People Become Winners Are Grinners

You know how I run lots of giveaways on my website, well this time I need your help to win something.

Just a quick one dear readers.

There is a competition on Mama Mia website to win a Samsung Digital Camera.

I could dearly do with one of these babies to assist with this website and my Monte-isms.

To win, people simply have to vote on my comment, by giving it the thumbs up.

I am well in the lead at the moment, but competition goes until Thursday. Anything could happen, anything could happen.

My comment is under SHARNI

Please help me win the camera by clicking here and giving me the thumbs up or of course, you might win it yourself and take me on!!!

I would really appreciate your thumbs up!

ps - this is not cheating is it? Making the competition winner the comment with the most thumbs up they clearly want people to do what I'm doing right? It's marketing and bringing the numbers in for both Mama Mia and Samsung (OK conscience clear - thanks , love youse all - I will do a very special post and photo shoot if I win it!! )

Follow The Yellow Click Road

Hello.

Just using the poor old Chronicles as a billboard to inform you I have a giveaway, do yourself a favour and enter it will you.

Click here and I will direct you to your chance to win a lovely book of your choosing

And Then There Were Two...

photograph by Kathryn's Creations

Cowboy went back to work today after two months away with a broken wrist.
What a two months it has been!
Aside from having a broken wrist and not being able to play football or work, I do believe something magic took place.
I didn't have to go and pick up nappies or milk, AND he mopped the floor.
Monte and Cowboy bonded.
I am not saying they hadn't bonded before, but the hours Cowboy takes doing his Cowboy duties (with sheep) meant he used to literally see Monte for about one hour a day.
Most of that hour, bless him, was spent trying to get our boy to GODDAMN SLEEP!
So two months away from work, away from football and just hanging at home was a great gift in some ways.
Monte has had a chance to really get to know his  Dad. Please read rest of the story here

Interview with The Monk Kathy Married

I am an avid fan of Kathy from Lessons from the Monk I Married.

I have gained a lot from the lessons she has learnt from her husband, the Former Monk. But until recently he seemed to be an elusive character that existed only in Kathy's blog posts.

You can imagine my delight when I received a comment from him on my "Life was meant to be easy" story.

Voila! That classifies him as a reader! So this week Seong Yoon Lee is  reader of the week!

 Come over to my website to read the interview from the man himself.... 

Update your blogroll, pleaso?

Heya, I know some of you lovely people have me on your blogroll as the Chronicles. But really I am just using this poor little sucker as a billboard for my other website.

If you do like your chronicles... you can subscribe to my feed over there, or change your blogroll to

www.sharnanigans.com

save me pimping my stuff here with the old half story then click here for the rest hoopla...

If you like me, please subscribe and update.

If not, she's apples.

What? It is a THREE HORSE TOWN?

I had resigned myself to the fact that most of my social life in this One Horse Town was spent online, when I made a friend in the One Horse Town (with three horses) online.

Turns out there is more than one horse here. Who knew?

Confused?

A little while back, my website was featured in the local newspaper.

Afterwards I received a lovely email from a very inspiring local lady.

Her name is Elle.

She moved from the city with her hubby and kids  from the city for a tree-change.

They bought a motel and she opened up a shop called “Hayven” (clever, huh? – oh the OHT is called Hay in case I have not mentioned that)

Whilet many shops in the One Horser decided to stick with the original decor from the seventies, in sweeps this ambitious newcomer and presents the OHT with the most gorgeous little boutique shop you are ever likely to see.

Think Coco Republic standards.

It is pure class.

Homewares, jewellry, clothing, beautiful gifts. Everytime I walk in there other shoppers are always oohing and ahhing and words like “Beautiful..” “Gorgeous” “Divine” are heard around the shop.

You know the type.

She keeps it new and fresh and …. OK – you see, I just love this shop and love she believed enough in her passion enough to make it happen (cue in: Flashdance)

read the rest of story here 

Take your passion, and make it happen!

Say No For Kids

Another new feature?  You ask?
Yes! Another new feature! I reply
This time I'm taking my lead from Mahatma Gandhi with his famous quote "Be the change you want to see in the world" and starting a "Be-The-Change Monday!"
Each Monday I'll  feature a cause that strikes a chord and let you know how you get your hose out!
If you'd like to suggest a cause for Be-The-Change Monday - send me a note here!
While I'm talking Mondays, don't forget to cook meatless tonight and send in a pic of your meal.  You could win a copy of Jonathan Safran Foer's highly acclaimed book "Eating Animals".
SAYING NO FOR KIDS
An issue that is close to my heart and that has come to my attention is the placement of pornographic material in eye-shot of kids.
To be honest, the stuff offends me as well. I don't want my son viewing women with mammoth breasts and come hither eyes while shopping with me for some milk. What kind of subliminal messages about women is this going to send him, and if I had a daughter, a whole other kettle of fish.
To be completely honest, what sort of message does it send to anyone about women? Anyway I'll save my piece on it for another date. I'd like you to meet the crusader behind Say No 4 Kids Catherine Manning.

For interview with Catherine Manning and link to the petition click here

Riding the Wave

Sometimes I prove myself wrong and challenge my own theories.
I recently wrote a flowery post spouting thatLife was Meant to be Easy.
While I still believe it is true, I am beginning to realise if it were too easy we would never grow or learn.
This last week, emotionally, I have succumbed to the more difficult side of it.
The "control" I thought I had went out the window and the emotions I thought I had a handle on proved the opposite.
A week ago I weaned my son from breastfeeding.
It has been 15 months and we were both ready.
Well, so I thought.
Who knew this process that has been looming gradually, would instigate the most mind blowing sadness , emptiness and out of control emotional roller-coaster I have ever experienced.
The pit of my stomach has ached with sadness. No amount of cuddles, reassurance or logical thinking was able to take that away. I was told to "Stop being silly", "Have a hot shower" and that I should just be "Happy to have my body back"
I have become confused, fatigued, nauseated, but most overwhelmingly, I have been deeply sad.
It is as if the happy switch had been turned off.
The Happy Mama drug had run out and all that remained was a heart-shredding feeling of emptiness.
I felt unloved, redundant, irrational.
You hear of the baby blues and Postpartum Depression here and there, but it is not often we are honest about it.
I am fortunate to have made a wonderful community of online friends who have helped me enormously through supportive emails helping me to get through this time.
I must admit, our pregnancy was completely unexpected and I was primed after the birth of our son expecting to get PPD. I had experienced anxiety before it, and I was armed and ready.
It never came.
What did happen was I felt the most intense love I have ever felt and have had the most life changing 15 months with my beautiful son.
After Monte was born, despite crying over lost sleep, I danced a happy dance and secretly felt cured of the depression and anxiety that had made guest appearances in my life before child.
15 months later while I was off-guard it seems to snuck around the corner and given me an upper-cut!
No-one saw it coming.
I realise some hormone upheaval is at play alongside the normal 'mourning' as the baby period ends.
One moment I was so happy, the next - I felt broken, out of control, and was lashing out at those I love.
Why has this happened to me? Wasn't life meant to be easy? Why do I feel out of control?
I have been asking myself these questions as I have tried to meditate and take time out to get clarity of mind.

rest of the story here 

The Butterfly Effect

Sometimes we  get so caught up in self-righteousness and festering anger that we can lose the present moment.

This weekend, a side of me I don’t like very much reared its ugly head.

Thankfully I was bought back down to Earth by a butterfly.

Yep don’t adjust your goggles, I was literally pulled out of my dark hole by a good old fashioned, wing flapping, flower hopping butterfly!

Who’d have thunk it?

I don’t know if there was a major planetary collision, or if the fairies that took my sleep gave me a severe case of cranky pant-it-is from hell but the last few days I have been in a really bad way.

The Cowboy and I have not been seeing eye to eye, nor have our eye to eyes been seeing much sleep, probably the cause of our eyes not meeting.

We decided a fix of the outdoors might help matters.

We packed up Monte and went for a walk to watch the cricket at the park.

The walk was mostly in silence though inside I was boiling.

Halfway I decided I couldn’t keep it inside anymore and unleashed a can of crankypants.

I picked a fight.

Cowboy failed to respond to my advances.

I could feel my frustration rising rapidly.

My fuse  was about a millimetre long and it short circuited.

Irrationally, I did an about turn and decided I wanted to be on my own.

I started legging it in the opposite direction.

“Where are you going?” Cowboy said bemused, pram in hand

“Home!” I yelled dramatically.

He yelled back to stop being so stupid.

Easily convinced I sauntered back over and decided that I would go along with them, I just wouldn’t talk.

This plan succeeded for about ten seconds before I launched into it again.

The more I spoke the more I became  wrapped up in my self-righteousness and hard done-byness (both legit words).

I had temporarily forgotten that the apple of our eyes, Monte, was right there sitting up in his pram soaking in the parental atmosphere from hell.

Just as I was about to take a short breath and start my next rant, Monte let out a grunt and a point and I noticed he was looking at a butterfly.

Please pop over here to read the rest..... :-) 

Waking Beauty

Today I feel a pang of emptiness and the world seems grey. This is part and parcel of the Motherhood experience, right?
Awake all night even before the Rooster?
Viewing the world through foggy lenses and a muddled head is what a Mother expects to experience but dreads with all her might.
I am starting to wonder if I might feel a little better accepting this rather than fighting it.
Today my vision is clouded following a wakeful night with my son. He has taken to clinging to me like an orangutan in the night hours.
If I try to deliver him back to his cot he tightens his grip and burrows his monkey-head into my shoulder pleading with me not to leave him.
I cannot find the strength to leave him alone screaming in his cot, so  I lie awake as he drapes across my body and sleeps - scared to move a muscle.
It reminds me of the years before baby when I used to have a cat that draped luxuriously across my double bed while I scrunched in a corner.

Your comfort comes first, your Majesty

There is no doubt about it, being tired is hard.
When tired the world looks different. Patience is tested,  reactions exaggerated, the drama of small things magnified.
"You need to get sleep in order to be a better mother"
Ideally, yes!
But this is like the mirage in the dessert. I think Motherhood is easier if we stop running so hard to reach the imaginary puddle of water...

rest of the story here 

10 Things Motherhood Has Taught Me

1) Words are Overrated
I have the most amazing interactions with my son. Sometimes "Car" is the only word exchanged
2) Babies Need Respect
Just because they are smaller and less advanced in the moving and speaking stakes they are human beings with needs, rights and personalities
3) Perspective
No matter how many times I might look in the mirror and am disappointed at what I see, there is a little boy tugging at my shirt while I put on my mascara who thinks I am the most magnificent being in the world (and if I don't mind can I pass him the mascara so he can put it in his mouth)
4) Love Conquers All
Even sleep deprivation (unfortunately) deprivation, oh I already said that ummm.. yep number 4 ummm you can function and punch out sentences that make sense even with sleep deprivation due to the love thing I mentioned
5) I'm Easily Manipulated
The cry or nagging of my son propels me into swift action - I am not sure that I will make a very good disciplinarian - he will more than likely discipline me
6) Women are Born Multi-taskers
Men are single-taskers - life will be happier if I just accept this
7) I Have An Adoring Audience on Tap
I can try out new dance moves, silly voices and songs whenever I feel like it
8) Poo Happens.
Particularly when in a rush
9) Keep it Movin'
To get over stuff quickly and to see things from another persons perspective first
10) The World is Amazing
Occassionally now I can look up at the sky with my son and gasp at the birds as if it were the first time I saw them
(Corny , I know, but true !   Unofficially number 11 is motherhood has taught me to be more of a softie than I ever thought possible)

REMEMBER I AM ONLY CUTTING AND PASTING FOR YOU PERSISTENT CHRONICLES FOLLOWERS... MOVE OVER HERE GEEZERS!!!


www.sharnanigans.com

Draw A Line In The Sand

"There comes a time in everybody's life when you must make a stand, and draw a line in the sand"

- Monte

THAT TIME IS NOW. Make the transition

www.sharnanigans.com 

You Don't Need To Follow Anybody!

A strange thing has happened over here at Chronicles Headquarters....

 my following is increasing though my posts are decreasing.

The point is, now I am not fussed about visitors here, they are popping up! 

Typical huh?

Can somebody tell me why so many are popping by from the SITS website?

I haven't popped my head on there for months and months and I had an influx of people welcoming me and becoming my followers.

What I need to say to them is this:

You don't NEED to follow me, you don't NEED to follow anybody!

If you want to follow the HOLY GOURD.... follow it over here....!!!!

www.sharnanigans.com

see another pathetic post, will probably have another 5 followers in the morning haha!

Oh and last chance to enter competition to win cookbook - announced tomorrow - GREAT CHANCE TO WIN not many entries! 2 to giveaway. See you over there good people