It has been a long time....

 Seems like years (it is - 3 in fact) since I have written anything. To be honest I have not been motivated,  the past 12 months have been tough for us. Deb's mother is not doing well, nor is her brother Mick; he is battling cancer.

And a few days before last XMAS we lost our pup Chloe to acute kidney failure. So much rain has fallen into our lives.

Still, one just keeps aiming for the stars... upwards and onwards as my friend Tim once said to me. 

And also as my late mother told me during a very troubling time in my life decades ago, "It's a long road without a turning". That turning always comes along in the fullness of time.

Michael in his shed with his "stuff"

10 years went by in a heartbeat.

Debra and Chloe in happier times 2023

"These are the happy days" was something my late father would say often. Especially when we were playing scrabble late on a cold winter's night at our holiday house on Bribie Island. The wood stove keeping us warm while we laughed and drank coffee from our gold coffee cups. (Boomers remember them)

The very phrase "These are the happy days" encapsulates a sentiment of joy, contentment, and gratitude for the present moment. It suggests a period in life where things are going well, where happiness seems to permeate every aspect of one's existence. 

It must have been an amazing experience for my father after his war service. 

So if one was expanding on this phrase, one could delve into the specific reasons why these days are happy. Perhaps it's the culmination of hard work paying off, achieving personal goals, or experiencing meaningful connections with loved ones. It could also relate to a sense of inner peace, where one has found harmony within themselves and their surroundings.

Additionally, "these are the happy days" might evoke nostalgia for simpler times or serve as a reminder to cherish the present moment, as happiness can often be fleeting. It encourages mindfulness and appreciation for the goodness that exists in one's life right now.

Overall, "these are the happy days" embodies a celebration of happiness in the present, acknowledging and embracing the positivity that surrounds us. And for us, it does become a self fulfilling prophecy. 

Given time I must admit.

Debra and I spent some time by the Brisbane River yesterday in Brisbane's leafy western suburbs and as we sat there, I looked at her relaxing, watching a kookaburra in a tree in the fading afternoon sunlight... 

"These are the happy days Deb". 

She smiled, took my hand and we packed up the car and headed back to La Dolce Vita at Hendra.

Deb chilling by the river.

And so despite all of the madness in the world and in Australia right now, for Debra and I these are in fact the happy days.

Count your blessings folks.