Another retreat is over

I can't believe how quickly these weekends are over. It seems I look forward to them for so long, and then in no time Saturday is finished and the retreat is more than half over. I've been going to these Daisy's Retreats now for 8 years. And I was going a couple of years prior when I was attending the Creative Memories ones. I've lost count of how many I've been to. With each retreat though, I come away with something new. Whether it's a new tool, a new friend, or a new and inspired mind set. From getting new ideas and inspiration for crafting to motivation to exercise and lose weight. They're always things which have had a major affect in my life.

It's from retreats that I learned about audiobooks, a way of reading which has revolutionized my chore time and increased the amount of books I read. I've forged closer bonds with good friends and have made a few new ones too, friends who'll be lifelong friends. It's for these things that I'm most grateful for. Not the fact that I'm away from my family and that I can sit and create for hours on end, for me that's a fabulous bonus, but it's the other things, the things I can't plan for that are what make these retreats so special to me. From now on I will document what new revelations I receive.

This retreat was no different, as always I've come away with new knowledge and feelings. I've learned that it's harder to say 'goodbye' to my Brisbane friends after each retreat. The end of a retreat signals that they are back to their lives and to living far away from me. I miss them. Alaine and Sheree are very dear to me. I'm trying to think of how long it's been that we've been friends. We've met many times, but it's probably since early last year that we've been closer.

We've shared so much about ourselves, from books to feelings to family dynamics and personal trauma and sadness. We've laughed together and felt each other's pain. I feel very blessed to have met them both, and to include them in my enclave of close friends.

Suzy sat next to me this time, and unfortunately Karen couldn't come. Her and I can only be at one retreat together a year, as commitments always fall on the other dates. I missed Karen, she would have finished the group. Suzy is great company, we have many of the same interests and can talk about them ad nauseum, but we both enjoy the quieter moments too, the tired moments, the times when we're deeply engrossed in what we're doing. It's a special friendship like that, each respectful of the other and mindful of her moods. We work well together. We have different tastes and ideas, but are always willing to lend a helpful word of advice in the creative stakes. No hassles sitting with her for the entire weekend, that's for sure. I'm a lucky girl that I have the type of girlfriends, who are fabulous in small and big doses. I think that's the key, we're all capable of being loud but we all enjoy the quieter moments too.

I made five cards this weekend. When I sync my iPhone, I'll have images to upload, so I can show you. I finished the cards for my first Copic Card Class (still can't believe anyone would want to make my cards!!). Plus I made two more, using CC Designs Stamps and some new Pixie Licious papers. The wonderful thing about card making, is that I can use papers and designs, I'd never use in my scrapbooking. I can make elegant cards and I can make cutesy cards. I don't do cutesy on layouts, I don't like it, never have, but love the fact I can be even more eclectic on my cards. I don't have a set style or preference, I love lots of different looks and colour combinations.

Suzy and I fixed my USB modem. For weeks now I've not been able to connect my Virgin Broadband stick. I've deleted and reinstalled the program in different configurations so many times I'd honestly believed I'd exhausted them. Dear Suzy, who's as persistent as I am with technical glitches, set about searching for a solution. The beauty of having someone else help you is that they use different words to search. Suzy found another set of processes which I'd not tried before. I knew this was a last resort for the night. We'd already tried each other's modems on each other's MacBooks and in hindsight, I know they wouldn't have worked as we both would have different drivers. Suzy bought her modem a few months after I got mine, so of course it would be different.

We had the directions set out on Suzy's MB and then I went through the process that she read out for me. I altered Terminal commands and everything..........................................................

You have no idea how we both reacted when it actually connected. We were both ecstatic and so surprised. I've never known before how cool it would be when there's two of you excited with a positive outcome. I was just stoked. I've gone from wondering whether it was my MacBook that wasn't responding, or whether my $129 modem was playing up!! Had I known which it was it would have helped, I could have at least known what the issue was. So, in the end it was a system issue, and not a hardware issue at all. I'm very very happy about the outcome, so much so that every time I thought about it and realized it was resolved, I felt so happy.

I made cards this weekend, Copic creations which I really loved making. I didn't find my mo jo until the Sunday, which is my normal modus operandi.

I had a fabulous weekend. Great food, cooked by my hard working girlfriend Barbi and her lovely daughter Holly and awesome company, with my friends. Loads of creating time, with trouble shooting time thrown in, and the introduction of a new game....Words with Friends on my iPad.........

I came home, my darling boy was fast asleep. His first all nighter after completing Relay for LIfe, and Mama was so worried about him last night. It was absolutely freezing last night. He said he'd never been so cold in his entire life. I'm so glad I pressured him into taking some warm stuff and he ended up taking a sleeping bag. Even with all that, he was bitterly cold. He was very touched during the ceremony. It's a poignant time when you hear directly from people touched by this insidious disease. I'm proud that my 14 year old boy was touched and shed a tear during this ceremony, so good of them to be thinking of someone other than them egocentric selves........

I've been updating my blog on and off since 4.30pm. My Bunny and the two little ones came home from golf and we've had a nice evening together.Bunny made them dinner and I've sat and had several glasses of wine.......

I'm happy, I've come home to a happy household that's tidy, with the washing up to date.

Life is good.

The inspiring and intelligent Lisa

Yours Truly with the Sweet Cherie

Yours Truly with the Vivacious Lisa

Moi with my Sweet fellow geek, creative genius SuzyQ

The girls, Tenneal, Lisa, Sheree, Lisa, Alaine, SuzyQ and Moi

I didn't get a photo with dear Alaine and I, she was busy on the phone....it wasn't until I went through them all that I realized, which is a shame.


Addendum
"Old people sex is fabulous". Had to test out the theory yet again lol....  Love you darling husband of mine!!