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Nothing is lost, we’ve just been hibernating.
Are You Feeling Reluctant to Rejoin the World? The end of another seventy-seven days of lockdown has some residents of the Yarra Valley leaping out of their homes with shouts of joy, but not everyone. For some of us, the end of lockdown might be a mixed blessing. After so long at home in our quiet bubbles, the phenomenon of cabin fever may have set in. Do You Have Cabin Fever? During the winter, it’s instinctive to slow down a little and go inward. This urge helps us to stay where it’s warm and dry, creating an innate sense of hibernation. The long lockdown in the Yarra Valley has deepened…
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Teaching an old dog new tricks
Today on my list of tasks was to fix an element on our webpage that wasn’t working. It had actually been on my task list for a while but I kept putting it off as I knew it would be tricky. It was not something I could just easily do – I would need to research the problem, maybe watch a video or two and try and figure it out. I’m ok at computers but as technology develops at the speed of light, I feel I am getting further away from understanding. Dealing with technological problems now stirs feelings of doubt and inability. That feeling of not knowing, of being…
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Spring is the time of renewal
My orchids have started early this year. The traditional first place winner, my maroon one, has circled and extended itself making a larger hoop of orchids. The first one out though is a delightful fairy pink; stunning, fragrant, cascading. It is symbolic of beauty – orchids are stunning, fragile, ethereal – the beauty of ballet dancers or models perhaps. Those of us with the more usual beauty would say they were as beautiful as a rose or a daisy. Still all of us were young… Spring is the time of renewal. My maidenhair fern l thought l had lost because l tried to keep it happy indoors. My constant need…
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Blogging for Success
By Deb Marks I have started a writing course that will lead to me publishing my novels. It’s an interesting method developed by a ex AFL/VFL footy player, a self described non-reading, barely literate man who has walked through all that, to be the published author of eight books. I had reservations at first. He has broken the course into modules which seem deceptively simple. What he has done is to send out a message about being determined and focused. There are many affirmations that one needs to view daily. Andrew Jobling played seniors football for St Kilda, it was a brutal time in his life being a footballer, they…
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Just add a little kindness
Lockdown 6.0 is proving to be tricky. As the numbers go up and down on a daily basis, so do our emotions. Some days we are super positive and resilient and can handle the changes and challenges of lockdown. At other times we can find it difficult, frustrating, overwhelming and just a bit too much. With our rollercoaster of emotions, we can find ourselves not being who we normally are – getting irritated at minor things, snapping at loved ones, getting upset and sad over the smallest of things. We then feel upset with ourselves for our reactions and behaviour and this begins the cycle of self-doubt, self-criticism and even…
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Don’t leave yourself wondering!
When I was at High School I was one of those kids who wasn’t particularly great at most things, but not awful either. Back then, in forms 4 and 5 you had choose a stream of learning: General, Art, Business, Trade, or Applied Science. I had undertaken Applied Science in Form 4 and only just scraped through, so a big decision had to be made, should I drop back to General or perhaps Business or have a go at Applied Science once again. I struggled on for a while searching for the right fit and finally approached my very understanding science teacher, Mr Griffin ,who spelled it out something like…
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Lockdown Feelings
We have all been here before. Coronavirus is still upsetting our normal. This time last year, we would not have believed we would still be dealing with mask wearing, social distancing, lockdowns and checking in. We have become somewhat “experts” with dealing with this effects this virus has on our regular lives. However, just because this is familiar and we have done this lockdown thing before, doesn’t mean we are “experts” when dealing the emotions it brings up. Maybe you have been able to maintain your positivity through most of it, maybe you didn’t cope so well at the start but are ok now or maybe you are still not…
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Celebrating NAIDOC Week
Prior to colonisation, there were approximately 38 Indigenous languages and 11 language families spoken throughout Victoria, many of which have now been lost. The Wurundjeri people first occupied the area that we now know as the Shire of Yarra Ranges. The Wurundjeri people take their name from the Woiwurrung language group – “wurun” meaning the Manna Gum and ‘djeri‘, after the grub found in or near the Manna gum. This NAIDOC Week we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, across not only our local area but across all of Australia. NAIDOC Week is a time to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.…
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More than just the “usual”.
Life is a funny thing – there are days, weeks even months when things are on a mostly even keel. People ask what have you been doing and you respond “Not much…. Just the usual…. Just boring stuff really”. Life is full of the everyday stuff – work, home life, bills, food shopping, family sport, your usual groups and catch ups. Every now and then, though, life throws you a curve ball. Sometimes these are small challenges that we tackle with our usual resilience and, although trying, we emerge the other side mostly unscathed. But sometimes we are dealt a big blow – one that rocks us to the core;…
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Assistance with the Victorian Government $250 Power Saving Bonus
We are helping community members apply for the State Government’s $250 Power Saving Bonus, a one-off payment to help eligible Victorians experiencing energy bill stress. Below are some frequently asked questions. If you or someone you know meets the eligibility requirements, get in contact with us on 5964 3987 and we can help you access this important bonus. What is the $250 Power Saving Bonus? – The $250 Power Saving Bonus is a one-off $250 payment which provides direct support to Victorian households experiencing power bill stress during the coronavirus pandemic. It is available to over 900,000 eligible Victorian households with at least one eligible concession cardholder. Who is eligible…
