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NO MORE SCHOOL

September 29, 2018 By Janine 4 Comments

As of about a week ago I am no longer a school mum. There will be no more creative writing of sick notes when the child was not really that crook. No more having to come up for an educational aspect to attending a Taylor Swift concert during exam period - look I didn't check the dates when I bought the tickets and they weren't BIG exams. No … [Read more...]

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Weekend Notes

September 23, 2018 By Janine Leave a Comment

WATCHINGI went to see Fiona O'Loughlin last night. She's the comedian who survived alcoholism, a two week coma from not realising, in her drunken state, that the heater in the dive she was living in was leaking carbon monoxide.  Then went on to spend five weeks in an African jungle with a variety of celebrities, including David Oldfield, before … [Read more...]

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Weekend Notes

September 16, 2018 By Janine Leave a Comment

Watching We headed to the movies this weekend and saw the latest Spike Lee film, BlacKkKlansman. It's the story of the first black cop in the Colorado Springs police force, Ron Stallworth, who in the late 70's managed to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. It's  loosely based on Ron's book Black Klansman.  In the film Ron makes contact with the KKK on … [Read more...]

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The Widow Goes On A Date

September 5, 2018 By Janine 11 Comments

Grey stairs.

The last time I went on a first date Bob Hawke was Prime Minister, Liam Hemsworth was being born, Madonna was singing Vogue on the radio, Macaulay Culkin was being left Home Alone and Kevin Costner was Dancing with Wolves. It was a long time ago people.   To be honest I've never been great at the dating game. On one of my first few dates … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grief, Humour, Life, Uncategorized

Another Father’s Day

September 3, 2018 By Janine 8 Comments

Father with two daughters.

Hi Simon, How's things going up there? Did you have a beer with your Dad for Father's Dad? We blatantly ignored the day here. Just pretended it wasn't happening. We still think about you every day. I didn't post anything on Facebook because it seems a bit of a killjoy to be mentioning Dads who aren't here on a day when others are taking their … [Read more...]

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Hellooo Again

September 1, 2018 By Janine 26 Comments

Daisy flowers

  Hi, I'm just here unwrapping the dust covers, brushing down the spiderwebs and sweeping up the left-over dreams of my tiny little space on the internet. I know I've been gone almost 12-months. I'm not even sure how that happened. A full-time, stressful job. Two daughters morphing into adults where they need you less, need you more, need … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Uncategorized

Three Years Later

April 6, 2017 By Janine 8 Comments

Dear Simon, So it's been three years since you left us. You must have settled in up there by now. Have they put you in charge of the heavenly workshop? I'm pretty sure your idea of nirvana would be endless days of making stuff ... with all that time on your hands up there you might even get to finish the projects you start! Speaking of which, … [Read more...]

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And Now I’m 49

November 25, 2016 By Janine 5 Comments

It was my birthday this week. On Monday. My third birthday as a widow. I haven't enjoyed birthdays the last few years. Each year I was getting older than he ever got to be. It seemed like the distance was growing between us. This time, I did enjoy it a little more. Perhaps it's a sign I'm coming to terms with it all a bit? I think it was … [Read more...]

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A Blogging Anniversary

September 15, 2016 By Janine 4 Comments

So Wordpress tells me this week I have been blogging for five years. Boy, a lot can happen in five years. Back in September, 2011 I was working part-time, we were still very much in the building phase of the house-that-will-never-be-finished. The children were 14 and 11. Good god we still had a child in primary school! The house was … [Read more...]

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Meternity Leave – Could It Be a Thing?

May 2, 2016 By Janine 2 Comments

  There's a woman in America causing a bit of a stir. Meghann Foye has written a book titled "Meternity" where she argues every working woman should get paid maternity leave even if she doesn't have kids. Apparently when Meghann was childless professional in her early thirties she got a bit jealous of all the mums clocking off to time … [Read more...]

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Janine Fitzpatrick is a personal blogger with an untidy house, imperfect children and no celebrity friends.

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Weekend Notes

WATCHINGI went to see Fiona O'Loughlin last night. She's the comedian who survived alcoholism, a two week coma from not realising, in her drunken state, that the heater in the dive she was living in was leaking carbon monoxide.  Then went on to spend … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

Watching We headed to the movies this weekend and saw the latest Spike Lee film, BlacKkKlansman. It's the story of the first black cop in the Colorado Springs police force, Ron Stallworth, who in the late 70's managed to infiltrate the Ku Klux … [Read More...]

Sleepless

So I've been awake since 3.00am. In that time I've signed the family up for an organizing app which can run a joint calendar, shared shopping and to-do lists and has downloaded a series of recipes that are supposed to make my "what's for dinner" … [Read More...]

Grey stairs.

The Widow Goes On A Date

The last time I went on a first date Bob Hawke was Prime Minister, Liam Hemsworth was being born, Madonna was singing Vogue on the radio, Macaulay Culkin was being left Home Alone and Kevin Costner was Dancing with Wolves. It was a long time ago … [Read More...]

Father with two daughters.

Another Father’s Day

Hi Simon, How's things going up there? Did you have a beer with your Dad for Father's Dad? We blatantly ignored the day here. Just pretended it wasn't happening. We still think about you every day. I didn't post anything on Facebook because it … [Read More...]

Daisy flowers

Hellooo Again

  Hi, I'm just here unwrapping the dust covers, brushing down the spiderwebs and sweeping up the left-over dreams of my tiny little space on the internet. I know I've been gone almost 12-months. I'm not even sure how that happened. A … [Read More...]

A messy scrapbooking desk

Milestone Moments

Hey Simon, Despite my best intentions to ignore the milestones they keep on happening, with or without you. We celebrated your Mum's 80th birthday back in August. A rushed trip of some 1,850 kilometres all up with just four days to do the 9 hour … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

What have you been up to this weekend? Watching  We caught Home Again in the cinema. It's the latest Reese Witherspoon film.  It's a fun little comedy. Reese plays Alice a just-turned 40 divorcing mum of two. At her birthday drinks she … [Read More...]

Picture of a beach.

Weekend Notes

  As the weekend draws to a close here's a little of what caught my eye in the last 48 hours. Watching Saw Battle of the Sexes the new Emma Stone movie about the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Oh what a time … [Read More...]

A Bag of chips, wine, chocolate, lemonade and magazine. A parody of a bug out bag for the apocalypse.

Could You Survive The Apocalypse?

South Koreans are buying "survival bags" and turning to YouTube for tips on making it through a nuclear blast. The New York Times is writing articles on How To Survive The Apocalypse and the doomsday preppers are starting to look like the smart ones. … [Read More...]

chocolate and wine

Home Alone: The Empty Nest

The empty nest looms in my near future. One more year before the youngest heads out into the world without my micromanaging her every move. I can feel the rotor blades on my helicopter starting to slow.   I heard a whisper of what may … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

It's a long weekend here in Australia.  So it's been a lazy time. Perfect for some catch-up TV, movies and reading.   Watching I've been enjoying Doctor Doctor it was shot in my old hometown of Mudgee and gosh it's looking … [Read More...]

iVillage

Janine Fitzpatrick is a personal blogger with an untidy house, imperfect children and no celebrity friends. Read More…

Grey stairs.
Father with two daughters.

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