I've been very quiet of late - time to put something down in writing.
First off what a wonderful feeling of joy earlier this week when news arrived of Olivia Eve's birth. Krista certainly appeared to rush things at the end - only 40 mins. in labor!!
I cant imagine what it is like but still cant help admiring all women who go through childbirth. The whole 9 months and then whatever time the labor takes. But the rewards must be great for the majority to then go through with it again, and again etc.
I have not seen a photo of Olivia Eve as yet however she already has a beautiful , loving image in my mind.
Likewise I have a very expectant warm feeling of love for young Sofia - due to come into this world in early October - with God's grace and Ben and Sonya's loving care.
Certainly is great to have some girls enter the Jaaniste world up to now dominated by boy's! Just rounds out our world very nicely. Don't you think?
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Positive - Negative
It strikes me that the Liberal Party coalition in Federal Australia could turn its fortunes around by changing their public media (and for all I know ) private pronouncements from being continually negative about the government and instead start offering alternative positive messages. It could otherwise be assumed they have none.
Now I am not a supporter of the Liberal Party in Australia, quite the contrary but I am tired of Australian politics where you are either in the Government or in "Opposition". The problem is in the term"Opposition". Straight away it signals to politicians and the media who report on politics that if you are not part of the governing party then you must oppose anything they do. Now that is plain stupid as no one has everything right or everything wrong.
The recent 2020 Summit showed this up alarmingly where the official pronouncements of the "opposition party members" was to dismiss the whole affair as nothing new, or frivolous or a waste of time, energy and money. Those of the "opposition" and their party supporters that did participate contributed enormously and heaped much praise on the process and outcomes. Of course we all wait to see over the medium term how much of the outcomes come to fruition in official policy.
The Australian Labor Party had the same "opposition" mentality for many years. This translated into struggling results in the polls even though there was strong community dislike for the Howard Liberal government. It was only when Kym Beasley was replaced for the 3rd time that a change in attitude of the ALP was evident. The overriding messages from Kevin Rudd from the day he was elected leader of the party till when he won government and continuing now is not to be critical of others but to give positive messages of advice, of what is being done and what is yet to be done.
It's quite a different mind set and one I welcome . It appears to have also been grasped by the majority of the public.
In our own personal and working lives the same mind set can make a marked difference in how we are perceived, accepted, how we gain co-operation and confidence of others. It's closely related to the principal of showing respect to all other humans. It has taken me many years to become mindful of the benefits of positive response rather than critical, cynical, negative responses to others. And has cost me much in the past.
I am trying to project this concept to my staff to avoid conflicts. I would like to think that it will (or already does) work for my children, their children, their friends, and work colleagues. Its worth thinking about.
Now I am not a supporter of the Liberal Party in Australia, quite the contrary but I am tired of Australian politics where you are either in the Government or in "Opposition". The problem is in the term"Opposition". Straight away it signals to politicians and the media who report on politics that if you are not part of the governing party then you must oppose anything they do. Now that is plain stupid as no one has everything right or everything wrong.
The recent 2020 Summit showed this up alarmingly where the official pronouncements of the "opposition party members" was to dismiss the whole affair as nothing new, or frivolous or a waste of time, energy and money. Those of the "opposition" and their party supporters that did participate contributed enormously and heaped much praise on the process and outcomes. Of course we all wait to see over the medium term how much of the outcomes come to fruition in official policy.
The Australian Labor Party had the same "opposition" mentality for many years. This translated into struggling results in the polls even though there was strong community dislike for the Howard Liberal government. It was only when Kym Beasley was replaced for the 3rd time that a change in attitude of the ALP was evident. The overriding messages from Kevin Rudd from the day he was elected leader of the party till when he won government and continuing now is not to be critical of others but to give positive messages of advice, of what is being done and what is yet to be done.
It's quite a different mind set and one I welcome . It appears to have also been grasped by the majority of the public.
In our own personal and working lives the same mind set can make a marked difference in how we are perceived, accepted, how we gain co-operation and confidence of others. It's closely related to the principal of showing respect to all other humans. It has taken me many years to become mindful of the benefits of positive response rather than critical, cynical, negative responses to others. And has cost me much in the past.
I am trying to project this concept to my staff to avoid conflicts. I would like to think that it will (or already does) work for my children, their children, their friends, and work colleagues. Its worth thinking about.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
2020 Summit
I have been enormously encouraged to believe that the future for my children and their children will be secure and made better by what I have heard over this weekend at the summit. Governance of the nation has taken the first step and I think that the current leaders will take the next in acting on many of the measures (ideas) brought to the forfront at this summit.
Finally we have the chance for governance for the better for all Australians rather than the bitter wrangling between the so called left and right. It is time for politicians to accept that negativity does not serve anyone and to be able to come to a consensus on the issues that affect all Australians.
If you did not catch any of the summit please try the website and in particular the plenary session at the start the 20 th April on the "migrant" vision.
http://australia2020.viostream.com/streaming/plenary.aspx
I look forward to some interesting points of view on this.
By all means also check the final session for the "big ideas" as the outcome of this very important happening for your future.
as always with love from Toomas.
Finally we have the chance for governance for the better for all Australians rather than the bitter wrangling between the so called left and right. It is time for politicians to accept that negativity does not serve anyone and to be able to come to a consensus on the issues that affect all Australians.
If you did not catch any of the summit please try the website and in particular the plenary session at the start the 20 th April on the "migrant" vision.
http://australia2020.viostream.com/streaming/plenary.aspx
I look forward to some interesting points of view on this.
By all means also check the final session for the "big ideas" as the outcome of this very important happening for your future.
as always with love from Toomas.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Grandchildren / Children
A great joy in my life is the time I spend with my grandchildren. It is a time when I can be a child again as well. It seems to me that the innocence of young children is infectious - allows us "grown ups" to forget the burdens placed on us ( incl. by our selves).
A few weeks ago I spent a long weekend with Gus and Hugo. Gus as always can be a little overwhelming but just a joy by rewarding us with his love and enthusiasm. Hugo is starting to know and trust me even though I see him only a few times a year. The occasion was a party to celebrate Hugo turning 2 years old. Everyone seemed to have a great time! The occasion reinforced my love for the family - as if that was necessary.
Earlier in the year I spent a weekend in Sydney and caught up with Michael's ans Shannon's little boy, Boston. It was wonderful to have Boston throw the ball to me and play as soon as I arrived. We continued to have a great time together.
I know I will have many more wonderful times with the boys. Thus I am also looking forward later in the year for Krista's and Sonya's new additions to the wider family. I pray each day that all will go well for their births.
More regularly I see Maureen's girls - her 5 grand daughters are mine as well. The 4 living in Canberra are aged from 18 months to 7years. It is always fun to spend time with them and they return their love to me many times over. I know that they also keep Maureen young at heart.
A few weeks ago I spent a long weekend with Gus and Hugo. Gus as always can be a little overwhelming but just a joy by rewarding us with his love and enthusiasm. Hugo is starting to know and trust me even though I see him only a few times a year. The occasion was a party to celebrate Hugo turning 2 years old. Everyone seemed to have a great time! The occasion reinforced my love for the family - as if that was necessary.
Earlier in the year I spent a weekend in Sydney and caught up with Michael's ans Shannon's little boy, Boston. It was wonderful to have Boston throw the ball to me and play as soon as I arrived. We continued to have a great time together.
I know I will have many more wonderful times with the boys. Thus I am also looking forward later in the year for Krista's and Sonya's new additions to the wider family. I pray each day that all will go well for their births.
More regularly I see Maureen's girls - her 5 grand daughters are mine as well. The 4 living in Canberra are aged from 18 months to 7years. It is always fun to spend time with them and they return their love to me many times over. I know that they also keep Maureen young at heart.
Monday, March 24, 2008
photos from Batemans Bay
Here are some photos I meant to include re our holiday at Batemans Bay.
This one is of our 3 dogs getting to know the beach.
Here Paris swam out to check on Mum and gave her a big licking.
Beyond the northern end of the beach.
This way to the beach from our holiday cottage
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Spur of the moment
I have just finished a six day "spur of the moment" holiday with Maureen on the coast at Batemans Bay. This all started last Monday week when I arrived home from spending 3 days in BrisVegas visiting family. (more on that later).
Maureen stayed at home, as she usually does when I visit my family. This time she got very lonely ending up taking a couple anti-depressants left over from some time ago. This made it worse and she was quite ill. Maureen has struggled the last 10 weeks recovering from knee replacement surgery as well as other problems in the household.
It took only a brief suggestion from Maureen to inquire about a holiday on the coast, possibly over Easter 4 day weekend. As usual I left it to her to find a place as I went to work on the tuesday. Usually our problem is what to do with our 3 dogs when we want to go away. However M found a place at Batemans Bay - Surfside which accepted dogs. The cottage backed onto the beach. It sounded good. I checked and found I could take a few days off work so we booked to go the very next day, on the Thursday through to Tuesday this week at $150/night - espc cheap if you realise we avoided kennel fees for the dogs.
This was our very first trip away with our "children" - the 2 boys Paris and Buttons and the older toy poodle Caprice (Cappy).
Well it could not have been better. Whilst the cottage was older it was still in good nick with plenty of room - beds for 6 people. The owners lived next door and were very friendly and helpful. M found kinship with Jim who also was an avid crime fiction reader.
The six days were filled by long walks along the beach constantly throwing the ball for Paris to collect and return, I think he could go on all day long! Buttons always the more curious looking into all of the backyards facing the beach. Maureen collecting shells, there was an abundance of quality and variety here with the aim of doing some craft/art work with her grand daughters.
The bay is protected so the waves were no more than 20cm high. Th swim we needed to go out over 30m as it was very shallow but the water was warm and very enjoyable.
If we weren't on the beach we were on the balcony playing scrabble or reading. I have started a new book that M gave me for Christmas - Carpentaria, written by the indigenous Australian writer Alexis Wright. So far interesting - may be more on that another time.
Each day we took a trip out somewhere reasonably local. Friday was for dinner at Jamiesons on the Pier. A good seafood and, surprisingly, beef restaurant. On Saturday we went to a fav gallery of ours, the Forrest Gallery about 10 km north of Batemans Bay along the road to South Durras. M particularly wanted to see if any pieces of a exhibition of Stephen Glassborow's work was still there as the exhibition finished the previous week. Stephen is a renowned bronze sculptor. Luckily the gallery owner had kept a few pieces on display. One by which I was quite taken by was a 60cm high sculpture of a woman seated on a pillow balanced on a wheel. The sculptor tends to use robotic joints for knees etc and a fine pattina to depict leather look clothing. Glassborow lives in Sydney and is worth checking out if you spy an exhibition. M has just gone back to the School of Art at the ANU for a term on bronze casting/lost wax sculpture.
On Sunday our outing was to a second hand book shop at Batehaven, some 5 km south of where we were staying. M wanted to stock up on some books by her fav crime authors as well as by some authors suggested by Jim, the owner of the cottage we were staying at. However we found the shop was closed for Sunday so instead we found a great pattiserie/baker instead for coffee and sweets.
The bookshop was open on Monday at 10 and we were there soon after. M picked up some 18 to 20 books for $70. She gets $35 back if she returns them next time we are there. Reasonably cheap reading if thats what you like. As I an more into historical/cultural reads I found nothing there to interest me.
Its just great staying at the beach and hearing the waves breaking on the shoreline espc. at night when all is otherwise quiet. Just sitting on the balcony and watching the variety of bird life has been interesting. Many colorful Parrots and Rosellas that also perch on the seed boxes set up next door along side the Sulfur Crested Cockatoos. Of Honeyeaters in the tall Callistemon's eating the nectar or sometimes fighting others for their territory. Hooded Plovers on the beach and the occasional seagulls.
The beach at Surfside is generally quiet as the predominant population is retired couples. It is also a No Dogs Allowed beach, but as the owner has previously advised us, everyone seems to bring dogs to the beach and as long as the animals are well behaved no one minds. There are always exceptions to the rule! On our last night there we came accross a middle age couple walking along the beach who told us that dogs were no permitted on the beach. They tried to wave our dogs away and as they continued - even at 100 m further on kept waving their fists at us. Funily enough we behaved like the dogs and - ignored them!
This has been the first time M and I have been on any sort of holiday since our Mediterranean sojourn in April/May of 2005. It has been a very relaxing and enjoyable stay for me and done Maureen the world of good ( the main aim) as it has for our relationship.
Maureen stayed at home, as she usually does when I visit my family. This time she got very lonely ending up taking a couple anti-depressants left over from some time ago. This made it worse and she was quite ill. Maureen has struggled the last 10 weeks recovering from knee replacement surgery as well as other problems in the household.
It took only a brief suggestion from Maureen to inquire about a holiday on the coast, possibly over Easter 4 day weekend. As usual I left it to her to find a place as I went to work on the tuesday. Usually our problem is what to do with our 3 dogs when we want to go away. However M found a place at Batemans Bay - Surfside which accepted dogs. The cottage backed onto the beach. It sounded good. I checked and found I could take a few days off work so we booked to go the very next day, on the Thursday through to Tuesday this week at $150/night - espc cheap if you realise we avoided kennel fees for the dogs.
This was our very first trip away with our "children" - the 2 boys Paris and Buttons and the older toy poodle Caprice (Cappy).
Well it could not have been better. Whilst the cottage was older it was still in good nick with plenty of room - beds for 6 people. The owners lived next door and were very friendly and helpful. M found kinship with Jim who also was an avid crime fiction reader.
The six days were filled by long walks along the beach constantly throwing the ball for Paris to collect and return, I think he could go on all day long! Buttons always the more curious looking into all of the backyards facing the beach. Maureen collecting shells, there was an abundance of quality and variety here with the aim of doing some craft/art work with her grand daughters.
The bay is protected so the waves were no more than 20cm high. Th swim we needed to go out over 30m as it was very shallow but the water was warm and very enjoyable.
If we weren't on the beach we were on the balcony playing scrabble or reading. I have started a new book that M gave me for Christmas - Carpentaria, written by the indigenous Australian writer Alexis Wright. So far interesting - may be more on that another time.
Each day we took a trip out somewhere reasonably local. Friday was for dinner at Jamiesons on the Pier. A good seafood and, surprisingly, beef restaurant. On Saturday we went to a fav gallery of ours, the Forrest Gallery about 10 km north of Batemans Bay along the road to South Durras. M particularly wanted to see if any pieces of a exhibition of Stephen Glassborow's work was still there as the exhibition finished the previous week. Stephen is a renowned bronze sculptor. Luckily the gallery owner had kept a few pieces on display. One by which I was quite taken by was a 60cm high sculpture of a woman seated on a pillow balanced on a wheel. The sculptor tends to use robotic joints for knees etc and a fine pattina to depict leather look clothing. Glassborow lives in Sydney and is worth checking out if you spy an exhibition. M has just gone back to the School of Art at the ANU for a term on bronze casting/lost wax sculpture.
On Sunday our outing was to a second hand book shop at Batehaven, some 5 km south of where we were staying. M wanted to stock up on some books by her fav crime authors as well as by some authors suggested by Jim, the owner of the cottage we were staying at. However we found the shop was closed for Sunday so instead we found a great pattiserie/baker instead for coffee and sweets.
The bookshop was open on Monday at 10 and we were there soon after. M picked up some 18 to 20 books for $70. She gets $35 back if she returns them next time we are there. Reasonably cheap reading if thats what you like. As I an more into historical/cultural reads I found nothing there to interest me.
Its just great staying at the beach and hearing the waves breaking on the shoreline espc. at night when all is otherwise quiet. Just sitting on the balcony and watching the variety of bird life has been interesting. Many colorful Parrots and Rosellas that also perch on the seed boxes set up next door along side the Sulfur Crested Cockatoos. Of Honeyeaters in the tall Callistemon's eating the nectar or sometimes fighting others for their territory. Hooded Plovers on the beach and the occasional seagulls.
The beach at Surfside is generally quiet as the predominant population is retired couples. It is also a No Dogs Allowed beach, but as the owner has previously advised us, everyone seems to bring dogs to the beach and as long as the animals are well behaved no one minds. There are always exceptions to the rule! On our last night there we came accross a middle age couple walking along the beach who told us that dogs were no permitted on the beach. They tried to wave our dogs away and as they continued - even at 100 m further on kept waving their fists at us. Funily enough we behaved like the dogs and - ignored them!
This has been the first time M and I have been on any sort of holiday since our Mediterranean sojourn in April/May of 2005. It has been a very relaxing and enjoyable stay for me and done Maureen the world of good ( the main aim) as it has for our relationship.
introductory comments
I am commencing this newsletter/blog so as to converse with all those of my relations. This will be the first of an irregular series - just check occasionally to see what is new - if anything. In all my years I have been backward in coming forward to keep in touch with people generally including my family.
If you are interested in what I write, and even if not, I am happy to hear from you as well. If you really find this dull and boring just skip over it and do whatever else is on your mind.
Through this series I hope you learn to understand me and what interest me. I return I hope go get to know you as well ( hence the name for the blog).
If you are interested in what I write, and even if not, I am happy to hear from you as well. If you really find this dull and boring just skip over it and do whatever else is on your mind.
Through this series I hope you learn to understand me and what interest me. I return I hope go get to know you as well ( hence the name for the blog).
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