dad.

So, i'm sure most of you know my dad is unwell. He has bowel cancer and got diagnosed about 3 months ago. Since being diagnosed he has gone through kemo therapy and radiation which was quite successful. Now myself and the family are anticipating his surgery which will be on the 12th of July.

I don't mind talking about it because somehow i have dealt with the situation. At first hearing the news made me really pissed off and angry with the world. I couldnt comprehend how someone that doesn't smoke or drink, looks after themselves and is such an asset to so many peoples lives could be cursed with this horrible disease. It's really not fair, but for want of not going completely insane I just have to accept it.

I know we are not the only ones having our lives affected by cancer. 1 in 3 people will at some point in their lives suffer from it and it's amazing the stories that people come out with when you confide that someone you love has it too. It makes us feel less alone but definately doesn't dull the anxiety. Despite it all we are positive people and we are trying with all our might to only envision the best possible outcome.

The point of this post wasn't to ramble on about cancer so much but rather tell a few short stories about my dad that our family friend Lucy Forbes shared with me about half an hour ago.

I have always known him as my father and a bit of a goofball. He has an incredible sense of humour and always finds the funny side of life (im sure if you have been recieving his email updates you will be able to relate to this). But today i learned about simple side of him that has stuck with the people involved and will undoubtably stick with me.

My dad is a bus driver and has been doing it for a few good years now. He used to work for Qantas but decided that he was missing out on too much at home and bus driving is what he has ended up doing instead.

Lucy has recently organised a benefit concert for my dad which will be on the 5th of July. We have had so many people eager to help out the family and Lucy has taken it upon herself to organise a night where people actually can and pay tribute to my dad.

We spoke today about the concert and she wanted to share with me two little stories associated with both dads bus driving and the concert.

Recently it was all advertised in the local news paper and lucy told me she was working at her husbands practice on the reception desk when a little old lady walked in the door. She came up to the counter, purchased a ticket and told her that David Furey was the best bus driver she had ever met in her life before waddling out the door.

The second is from when Lucy ran into someone she knew. At the time she was holding the flyer about dad and the concert and the lady she had run into said ''I know that man, thats David Furey''
Lucy said to her ''Oh how do you know David?''
she replied ''on my son's first day of school i was really nervous and my son was absolutely terrified of catching the bus. Finally the bus pulled up and the doors opened and behind the wheel was a friendly man with a huge smile that said to the little boy ''Hello i'm david, whats you name?'' from that day on her son was more than excited to attend school and she was completely at ease with him catching the bus.

These stories are quite simple but they make me so extremely proud of my dad for being such a good person and impacting on peoples lives in such a positive way. It is so easy for all of us as human beings to get completely lost in our own needs, cares, wants, moods and problems. It takes an extremely selfless heart to put it all aside so other people can be happy too.

If there is anything I have learned from my dad it's that a smile and a kind word can move mountains.

luvya Dad.

welcome home.

You know those songs that resonate throughout your entire body? Everytime you heard it no matter where you are you just lose youself and imagine you're somewhere else. This song called Welcome Home by Radical face is definately one of those.

There are so many layers and meanings and it's just truly beautiful.

Have a listen it will change you life.

baby its raining!

Most people despise the kind of weather we are currently having. Needless to say i LOVE it. This kind of weather is one of my favourites. I don't really know how to explain it but i feel like consistant rain that lasts for days is really cleansing and in a way nourishing for the soul. It kind of forces you to stay inside and get things done, like the cleaning you've been putting off for weeks or cake you have been wanting to bake since you first saw the recipe. We all need down time and I have really been enjoying mine!
Today i have been pottering around and working with my camera a little more. I discovered a cool backdrop conveniently located in my room where i could create silhouettes and shadows. It's fun to experiment in the early stages of learning about photography. I also went for a walk during the half hour when it was bucketing down to see if i could capture anything interesting with my EF 50mm lense.

Here a few snapshots that i have edited slightly.

 

 Here i was trying to capture the moment when a drop hits the water surface and explodes.

I think i kind of got it but between juggling my camera, umbrella and phone i forgot to change to the macro setting.

Two hearts on the same path.

 This is my favourite of the day.

I really love the colour of the sky when it rains. It turns into a dirty cream colour and seems to make the rich blue of the ocean look even more intense. There is something peaceful about being next to the sea while it's raining.

Even if you hate the rain you will appreciate the sunny weather even more when it rolls around again. Until that day i hope you all stay cosy! 

-P

four seaons in one day

This week has been one of the most turbulent in my life. Due to this i have been feeling extremely emotional, crying sporadically and feeling peaks of excitement and happiness to lows of pure devastation. I promise i'm not a crazy person but now I can really relate to the metaphor of "life is a rollercoaster".
The weather matched my moods perfectly with sun, rain, wind and thunder and i have been experiencing all four seasons in one day.
I have honestly surprised myself with how emotional i really can be and it is interesting and enlightening to learn this side of my personality. Despite everything i feel like my clouds have a silver lining and i have found that sometimes these peaks and plummets can actually help you to understand yourself a little bit better and see the big picture a little bit clearer.
Since dad got sick i have been feeling the urge to tell people how i feel about them or thank certain individuals for whatever contributing factor they may have had in my life. If you recieve a random message from me in your inbox don't be surprised!

I am also trying to focus on my creative side and work on discovering an outlet that lets me express myself without words so that i don't seem like a rambling crazy.

Today Manny and I lounged on the couch and i tried to befriend my camera a little better. I took some random shots of Pippin (perfect subject as she is cute and funny). Here is the end result with some slight editing.

For all who have the queens birthday off enjoy every minute!