Crashed

Dear friends,
I had hoped to keep the gratitudes and simple abundance going but another quiet time has hit and I have crashed again. quite a few people have said how much they miss my daily gratitudes in the groups I belong to. I have apologised. At the moment I am trying to think how to progress forward. I had the theme FLOW for 2010 and need to work with that some more. With my mental illness it is really hard to have goals and objectives as i so often crash and can't fulfill them. Not sure how to progress with this blog. i have been in this situation before. It is New Years day and i am having a home day and sorting out how to progress. any ideas?????
lots of love from susan in australia
PS Maybe this is a good theme for a workshop that I may be doing this year with one of my creative friends leading it

Simple abundance...27th December...believing

Dear friends,
Simple abundance for today 27th December is about believing in yourself. My mental illness has me doubting my capabilities a lot although many friends and family say i am doing really well. Do you believe in yourself?
lots of love from susan in australia

Merry Christmas 2010

Dear friends,
Merry Christmas for 2010. A dear friend I hadn't heard from for a while rang for Christmas which was nice. I still have my dear mother at 83 and phoned her. I will have lunch on my own. i will have scrambled eggs in memory of a friend I used to spend Christmas with. I will be seeing my brother and family with mum for Christmas dinner.
I hope you have a great Christmas and I will see you again tomorrow. It has been amazing blogging every day for a few months. i hope I keep it up.
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance ...24th December...Christmas rituals

Dear friends,
Sarah has a Christmas eve ritual. I don't have any rituals for Christmas Eve. My ritual is an advent tree where I take out a decoration each day in December and put it on the little advent tree. By Christmas it is all decked out. i also read some Christian writings each day of Advent and I also light the candles for Advent. DO you have any Christmas rituals?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for overindulgence

Dear friends,
I have to say I love Christmas when I absolutely overindulge in beautiful, yummy food and lots of presents and lots of friends and family. For me it is a time of excess and I always enjoy doing it. I must admit I no longer drink too much just a glass of champagne as I have to drive after. sometimes I have been known to buy a bottle of champagne just for me to enjoy at home. Do you overindulge at Christmas?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...23rd December...It's a wonderful life

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about having a wonderful life. I have a wonderful life. As i have grown older I look for the simple blessings each day. I look at the wonderful family and friends I have, my home, my car, the blessings of all the talents I have, the great country I live in. Do you think you have a wonderful life.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for a soul

Dear friends,
I am grateful to have a soul and to know i am a spiritual being. I love focusing a lot of my life on my soul and spiritual growth. Do you believe you have a soul?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...22nd December..seasons

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is to acknowledge the seasons particularly winter and its time of rest and reflection. I am in summer with its longer days and lots of sunlight....although we have had lots of rain and cloudy days which is unusual. Even the rainy weather makes for more time inside and more indoor activities. Do you live with the seasons? Do you have a favourite season?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude I have a home and not just a house

Dear friends,
I am grateful I have a home full of love and enjoy being here so much. I am surrounded by things that I care about and that uplift me. It is a peaceful place that I like to spend time in. I have been involved with domestic violence so know what it is like not to feel at ease in my own home. DO you live in a house or home?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude i can pace myself

Dear friends,
I am grateful that I have learnt the art of pacing, of managing the energy and time I have more evenly and calmly. As I have chronic fatigue syndrome I used to often get really tired from doing something and with my mental illness my manic phase would have me doing way to much and getting exhausted. I pace myself with meditation and careful planning. Christmas time i plan way ahead and I don't go to all the christmas parties. I buy presents well ahead and generally pace myself. Do you pace yourself? Do you have problems with not enough time and or energy?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...Dec 20th...Pollyanna game

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about Pollyanna's glad game. With my mental illness in the past 8 years I have practiced a lot of being grateful and glad for the positives in my life and to try as best I can to deal with the negatives and my down times. I have suffered much depression in the past and found it difficult to find the gladness. Are you a glad person? Do you look for gladness amidst the difficulties of life?
I ching for today...Hexagram 57..the cauldron...what am I beginning? Clearing out my life and possessions and keeping only what serves my journey ahead.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for glass

Dear friends,
Today I am grateful for glass mainly for windows but also all the foods that are contained in glass. I like the glasses I have to drink from particularly my dragon fly glass. I collect the odd piece of colored glass and so does my mother. My mother likes glass perfume bottles and I love paper weights usually in blue glass. I used to like the old fashioned milk bottles with cream on top of the milk. I am getting some stained glass windows for around my front door. What do you like about glass?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance..19th Dec...crone years

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about the crone years. i am 55 and I guess I am in the crone years. I am surprised I am so old. I love getting older and wiser. Are you a crone? Are you happy with your age?
I ching for today...integrity...how might i return to a state of balance. I find it hard with my changeable sleeping patterns. i balance my life where I am able to.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for people

Dear friends,
I am grateful for people. I love it that i am not here on earth alone and have lots of company. I particularly like my online community and all the potential friends. Are you grateful for people or are you a loner?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...Dec 18...birthdays

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about ways to celebrate ones birthday. I celebrate for the whole month of october with family and friends and make every year special. Do you have special birthday celebrations for yourself?
lots of love from susan in australia

I am grateful for now

Dear friends,
I am grateful for now. I have learnt over the years to focus most of my time on the here and now...the present. I find it really comforting because here and now is where i can do my most good and can see my gratitude and act on life and make changes and be better in more ways than one. Do you live in the now?
lots of love from susan in australia

simple abundance..17th dec...growing older

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about growing older and I am now 55 and realise I am an older woman. Can't believe it but it is true. I took Christmas lollies into my little next door neighbour and realised I would seem so old to her. I am finding life is getting better and better. i always felt that my older years would be some of my best.
Are you older or still young?
I ching for today....hexgram 58 ...opening...how can I full appreciate the moment? I love my computer time and are very focused and aware. I practice living in the now at every opportunity.
lots of love from susan in australia

I am grateful for nail scissors

Dear friends,
I am grateful for nice sharp nail scissors. I had to throw out some old ones yesterday. I wonder what a tribal person uses who doesn't have nail scissors!! They must have to bite them or use a rock to buff them. My mum always files her nails whereas I always let mine get longer and then cut and file them. The podiatrist does my toe nails. Do you use nail scissors? Do you have manicures and pedicures?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...Dec 16..seasonal cooking

Dear friends,
Simple abundance talks about seasonal cooking. The only time i cook seasonally is with salads in the summer and fresh stone fruit in summer. The rest of the time I use ingredients all year around as so many of them are imported. I have never seen apricots in the store in winter.
Do you cook seasonally?
I ching for today is Hexagram 4..what don't I know....a lot!!! I have much to learn and enjoy the adventure of life.
lots of love from susan in australia

I am grateful for housework

Dear friends,
Today I am grateful for housework because it keeps my home looking nice. I have a cleaner once a month to do the whole place and get everything up to date. In between I do the rest except the dusting and the wood floors and carpets all around the edges. I love having a cleaner to do the housework as well to help me out. Do you have a cleaner? Are you a good housekeeper?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...Dec 15 ..reading

Dear friends,
Todays simple abundance is about reading. When i first went to school I came home disappointed on the first day because I hadn't learnt to read. Reading and writing are a huge part of my life. I read and write for 2 hours or so on the internet each day. I read and write throughout my days. DO you like reading?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for order

Dear friends,
Today i am grateful for order. WIth my zippy, up time of my mental illness I start lots of projects and the home gets so out of order and chaotic. Last night I decided to stop creating and start clearing some of the things away and create order again. My mother always live in order. she never has chaos. Do you live in an orderly or chaotic way?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance..14th Dec..experiencing loss

Dear friends,
Today's simple abundance is about loss at Christmas. How Christmas reminds us of what we have lost. i grew up with a mother who had emigrated to Australia from England as a 21 year old and she has grieved for England every day since. At Christmas she grieves a lot. I grieve for the loss of family, for not having a big extended family, for not having a family of my own. There is much sadness at Christmas but i try to focus on the joy and how I can bring joy to the grieving. Do you experience grief and sadness at Christmas time?
lots of love from susan in australia
PS I ching for today is Hex 42..What if there were no limits? What would change for the better? I would have billions of dollars that I could give away and give away and give away. I could bless billions of people. I am glad I can bless who i am able to now

Gratitude for jam

Dear friends,
Today i am grateful for jam. How sweet it is and in so many flavours and combinations. I also like lemon spread and lime spread and marmalade. I often have it on toast for afternoon tea. Have done this for years. I also love jam on french toast. My sister in law makes french toast and it is delicious. i have one with cheese and one with jam...yummo. Do you eat jam?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...13th Dec...belief in santa

Dear friends,
!3th December is all about believing in santa. i have always believed in santa even when I found out it was my dad and mum who put the presents under the tree. Still left out drink and cake for santa / my dad. I love the thought of such a generous giving soul and I like to be giving too and generous of love and spirit. DO you believe in santa?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for snakes

Dear friends,
I'm grateful for snakes because they teach me about fear and overcoming my fears. Also reminds me of my sexual energy. I must admit I am grateful it is unlikely there would be snakes near my home but it is possible. I have seen 2 snakes in the wild but one of them I think was a dream I had as a child not a real snake as there were baby snakes around it. Do you have snakes where you live? Are you scared of snakes?
lots of love from susan in australia
PS I'd be most interested to know what people think about a snake in a dream as i had one tonight and was saved by a dog

simple abundance ...my time

Dear friends,
Simple abundance for Dec 12 is about how we give of our time particularly at Christmas. i am blessed with plenty of time as i am retired and don't over commit myself. I almost always tell people and friends not to hurry as i am not in a hurry and have plenty of time. Do you have plenty of time?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for bookmarks!!!

Dear friends,
Where would we be without bookmarks!!! This is like my bath mat gratitude but i am grateful for bookmarks. i have all sorts of homemade and commercial bookmarks. i love my collection. Do you have a favourite bookmark? Do you turn down the corners of pages?
lots of love from susan in australia

Simple abundance...11th Dec...place for gifts

Dear friends,
Simple abundance mentions having a special place for gifts. I have a few friends i buy gifts for through the year and I have some special drawers and a cupboard for them. Most of them I get the store to gift wrap but I must get into my own gift wrapping in future. It's just that some stores do such great wrapping.
I ching reading for today....hexagram 24...returning...things are beginning to germinate...this would be my decision to clear up my home even more than it is....also my awareness of the caterpillar
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for caterpillars

Dear friends,
I have always been grateful for butterflies but i so often forget about the caterpillars that make the butterflies. I rarely see caterpillars in art just the butterfly and yet without the caterpillar and all that it is there would be no butterflies. How often do people kill caterpillars in the garden. Do you think of the caterpillar when you see a butterfly?
lots of love from susan in australia

simple abundance...gifts

Dear friends,
Started reading simple abundance with a couple of friends and thought I would blog about it as well.
Today is about gifts for Christmas. I give mostly money for Christmas as i am not good buying presents. I have two friends who like presents but the rest of my friends and I have decided no presents. I love the gifts of the spirit. I love kindness and love and caring. I love the spirit of Christmas and enjoy it each year.
Today's iching...48..the well...I draw from the energy of the divine. I constantly try to commune with where the divine god wants me to go. SOmetimes i get lost like a few days ago but mostly I go with the flow.
Got some great cleaning up done in the garage and discovered wonderful cloud calendar which is now up along with others in the bathroom. Cleared all around the ironing board and threw out an old desk lamp that was useful to nobody. It is amazing the junk I have i never knew about.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for being together

Dear friends,
Today I am grateful we are together. i am so glad this journey with life means at least some of the time I have the company of other people. I am grateful for my online friends in particular. I am grateful for the company of animals and plants. Yes I am grateful we are together. Some of you like being alone but most of us like being together. What do you like about togetherness?
lots of love from susan in australia

New adventure begins

Dear friends,
I was thinking yesterday I need to go on some sort of adventure with my life the way people have babies, get married, travel far...something major....but what does someone do with a simple life where babies, marriage, traveling far aren't possible. I was sweeping a small corner of my rather untidy garage yesterday and today I was thinking what if I cleaned out my whole place. I remember how extraordinary it was to move house and clear out so many of my things and to start afresh. I can literally do that without moving. One of my online friends has minimalised his life and in my way I want to clean up my life in every corner!!!!......there is no rush with this. I will continue where I began with the garage corner which means all my photos are next. How does one sort out photos????????? I think it is time for an email to my minimalist friend
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for being a human

Dear friends,
Today i am grateful for being human. I could have been born a flower or a rock or some other thing in life but I was born human. what an extraordinary experience it is to be born human. I would love to have been an oak tree many years old growing from an acorn. Are you glad to be human? What else would you like to have been?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for peaches

Dear friends,
I used to have a peach tree and loved my first and following peaches each year. I always loved the first one the best as if I would never have a peach again. bought peaches don't taste the same as home grown but I still enjoy my first peach of the season. I am going to have a bite now........delicious...do you love peaches?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for peacocks

Dear friends,
Today i am grateful for peacocks. They are such beautiful birds and a celebration of nature. I think their plumage is extraordinary. I saw a peacock recently at the zoo wandering around the picnic area. It displayed its feathers. How wonderful. Have you seen a peacock? What do you think?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for plenty

Dear friends,
I am a person who is blessed with plenty. I have a lovely modest home with plenty of what i need. i always can buy what I need and have plenty of friends.I have plenty of freedom and time. I don't have plenty of family but what I do have we share plenty of love and care. I am so grateful I have plenty. Do you have plenty?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for shampoo

Dear friends,
I was washing my hair today and thinking how grateful I am for the shampoo to make my hair shiny and clean. i have been without shampoo in the past and I like shampoo better. I know you are grateful for your shampoo too.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for scrabble

Dear friends,
This gratitude is for all my friends who love scrabble. I am useless at it and learnt early not to play. I have a friend who plays online. I have made another friend and embroidered and knitted scrabble mat to travel with her scabble pieces. Do you love scrabble? Are you good?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for air to breathe

Dear friends,
I am so grateful for the air that I breathe. i have two friends who are on oxygen tanks and I am so grateful I can move about freely and breathe the air. Do you have breathing problems with hay fever or asthma?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for morning coffee

Dear friends,
I am so grateful for my first cup of coffee in the morning. it is the first thing I do after opening the curtains. Do you love your morning coffee or are you a tea drinker?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for paper and pen

Dear friends, I am grateful for paper and pen because i love writing. I said if my house was destroyed I would want paper and pen first to record the experience. i love journaling. Are paper and pen important to you?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for bathmats!!!

Dear friends,
I am grateful for bath mats. They are great when you get out of the shower or bath so you aren't on the cold tiles and in a pool of water!!! I like having bath mats. Do you like your bath mats? What colors do you have? Mine are mostly blue ones.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for butterflies

Deaf friends,
I am grateful for butterflies. They are such beautiful creatures and there are so many now that it is springtime. I have had them land on me which is super special. I won't ask if you love butterflies as I am sure you do.
lots of love from susan in australia

My mental illness

Dear friends,
I thought it would be a good idea to get a new bathroom for a deep bath even though my bathroom is only 10 or so years old, then I decided I needed $25,000 of stained glass windows and this zippy time I ordered a $5,000 bracelet. Needless to say I can't afford such things on my pension. i am really worried. Not sure how to help myself. I wish I could talk with other bipolar people to ask what they do to avert getting involved with spending huge amounts of money. Lucky for me I didn't go ahead with any of these ideas other than to speak to designers and with the windows put down a deposit.
I'm wondering how long I can keep going with the gratitudes. it is hard in my quiet time.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for DVDs

Dear friends,
I am grateful for DVDs particularly when there is nothing on TV and I feel like watching something. Do you have a lot of DVDs?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for helpful friends

Dear friends,
One of my friends fixed a pair of broken ear rings I had. It is so kind when friends do helpful things. i am grateful to my friends for their caring and help when I need it. Do you have helpful friends?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for bird baths

Dear friends,
I love my bird bath. A lady left it at my other house I used to live in and I loved it in that garden with lots of birds visiting. I brought it to my new home here and slowly the birds know where my bird bath is. Mostly i have black birds and they love their baths. i love watching them. Do you have a bird bath?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for my gardener

Dear friends,
I used to do all my own gardening but have for a long time gotten behind with weeding so I now have a gardener. He has just been and now left me a lovely tidy garden. i am so grateful. Do you have help with your garden?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for Harry Potter

Dear friends,
I love the Harry Potter movies and so grateful to JK Rowling for writing such fabulous books. I don't like reading the books but love the movies. Have you read the Potter books and seen the movies?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for sister in laws

Dear friends,
It was my sister in laws birthday yesterday and we celebrated as a family. I am so grateful for my sister in law as she is such a wonderful wife to my brother and she is so kind and caring to all of us. Our family particularly my brother are blessed to have her. We also love her great cooking! Do you have a sister in law you are grateful for or a brother in law? Do some art to celebrate.
Lots of love from susan in australia
susanhosken.blogspot.com
srhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for being able to drive

Dear friends,
I have a few friends who can't drive and I am so grateful I can drive and get where I want to go quickly and easily without public transport. Do you drive or do you prefer public transport? Do some art to explore.
lots of love from susan in australia
srhosken.blogspot.com
susanhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for waking up after bad dream

Dear friends,
I had a bad dream this morning and was aware in the dream I was dreaming and hoping I would wake up. I am so grateful to wake up to my nice life from a bad dream. Do you have bad dreams? Do some art to explore.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for massages

Dear friends, Every two weeks my masseuse and friend gives me a massage. It is wonderful and so relaxing and I am so grateful she does such nice massages. DO you have massages?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for food and water

Dear friends,
Yesterday I had to fast and have no food or water until 1pm and I got so hungry and thirsty. I am so grateful I can eat and drink whenever I want. Are you aware of the starving and thirsty in the world?
lots of love from susan in australia
srhosken.blogspot.com
susanhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for dogs

Dear friends, Every Tuesday night i am greeted by a very enthusiastic dog at my friends house. He is so pleased to see me as he is most visitors. He is a much loved family pet and doted on.I am grateful for his love. Do you have a dog? How much does your dog mean in your life?
lots of love from susan in australia
srhosken.blogspot.com
susanhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for bubble baths

Dear friends,
i am grateful for bubble baths. Bubble baths are treats for me. I used to have one or two a week in my old house usually after a day in the garden but in my new home I rarely have them and having had one yesterday I need to have them more. I love the sound of the bubbles popping. I love reading in the bath. I love the relaxation. Do you have bubble baths? Do you read in the bath or just relax.
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for hair

Dear friends,
Today i am grateful for my hair. I have had friends who have lost their hair with chemo and cancer and I have seen people who have loss of hair problems and diseases. There is something in most of us that makes our hair important to us. I love the way so many balding men shave their heads to deal with the balding. I used to love my hair when it was long. Do you love your hair? Have you ever lost your hair with chemo or other diseases?
lots of love from susan

Gratitude for a day off

Dear friends, I am one of those people who usually has her days planned days ahead with meeting friends and other commitments. Yesterday I had an unexpected day off all for me to do anything I wanted. It was raining outside hence cancellations and I stayed in Pyjamas all day, did art, watched DVD recordings, ate what and when I wanted, phoned friends and family and generally had a fantastic day. Need a few more days off! Do you have days off often?
lots of love from susan in australia
srhosken.blogspot.com
susanhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for body's ability to heal

Dear friends,
I have an anxiety habit of picking the skin around my nails and causing them to be inflamed. I went to a manicurist and she said to wait two weeks for them to heal and then I could have a manicure. I was thinking how grateful i am that the body heals itself. Have you had healing recently?
lots of love from susan in australia
srhosken.blogspot.com
susanhosken.blogspot.com

Gratitude for my podiatrist

Dear friends,
I am grateful for my podiatrist because I have terrible trouble caring for my feet. My old podiatrist has left and I am now looking for a new one. Do you have podiatry or do you do you take care of your own feet?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for my daily yoga

Dear friends,
I am grateful for my daily yoga. I find it makes me feel all stretched out and limber. ALong with my prayers it is delightful to do. DO you do yoga? Have you ever thought of doing it? Have you done it in the past?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for trees

Dear friends,
Today I am grateful for trees. If you love trees go and see the Australian movie The tree a sad but wonderful movie celebrating the tree.I live in suburbia so there are only a few really big trees here but the ones here are wonderful. Do you love trees? Do you have many trees where you live?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for pain relief

Dear friends,
I am grateful for pain relief. I am so grateful their are tablets for headaches and back ache. They don't work really well for me as i have a low pain threshold but they still help. I am very grateful for pain relief at the dentist when I have my teeth cleaned. Do you have to use pain relief? DOes it help?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for welcoming a loved one home

Dear friends,
A close friend of mine was at the airport welcoming a daughter home from a trip overseas. Much emotion and lots of talking and sharing ensued. I can't think of the last time I welcomed a loved one home. The feelings of expectation and joy and talk and sharing. I remember meeting my mum at the airport and how exhausted she looked. It was wonderful to see her. I can't wait to meet my friends daughter and catch up on all her news so I guess that counts as a welcome home for me. Two friends are on a cruise so I will be welcoming them home. When did you welcome a loved one home? How grateful were you for their arrival?
lots of love from susan in australia

Gratitude for having a mum

Dear friends,
Today i am celebrating being grateful for having a mum. I saw my mum yesterday for the afternoon. I am single and retired and have a lot of time to share with my mum with regular meals together and outings. My mum is a very kind and generous person. I am blessed with still having mine alive but you may not. What are your gratitudes about your mum?
lots of love from susan in australia
PS I need to get an up to date photo of my mum. This one is quite old