By KATE HUNTER
What’s on your mind?
I’ll tell you what’s on mine: HOLIDAYS.
Some people obsess about shoes, others are focused on handbags, and some can’t think of anything but food. All worthy obsessions, but for me it’s holidays and now that the weather’s getting warmer, I think of little else. It’s like a disease.
Of course, dammit, I can’t GO on that many holidays.
Just as most of the handbag girls can’t BUY more than one (genuine) Chanel bag in their lifetime, I’m restricted by time and that thing called money.
So I spend hours researching holidays I never go on. It’s like a hobby for pathetic people.
The internet is my best friend in feeding this addiction. I lust over travel websites.
But I’m happy to go old-school on weekends. The travel section is my favourite bit of the Sunday paper. I’m interested in cruises down the Danube, skiing in Japan and the best place in Helsinki to sample organic Nordic cuisine.
I’ll pick the best spots on beaches I’ll never walk on. I work out where I’ll eat breakfast and what to have for dinner. I select staterooms on cruise ships. If I’m looking at a resorty type destination, is the meal package worth it or should we order as we go? If we were to go to Edinburgh, is it worth going for the Festival or better to explore the city when it’s quiet? Christmas in Scotland would cold but so beautiful ….
It’s not that I’m dissatisfied with my life. We travel a fair bit, and it’s getting easier as the kids get older.
Despite my fantasy holiday fixation, I do love a family holiday spent blatting about on the beach and dinner at the surf club.
In particular, I like camping . I’m excited we’re heading to Sydney at the end of the month for the ‘Aerogard Great Gran and Grampout’ – an old-fashioned family camping experience, where ALL the family can come (including the Grandparents).
This is being held on the spectacular Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour.
Interested in coming too? You can apply to win tickets* here.
*terms and conditions apply. Visit aerogardgrampout.com.au to view.
“Aerogard is launching a nationwide Grampout – “The Aerogard Great Gran and Grampout” to celebrate 50 years of protecting Aussie families, and being part of all those happy summer memories you cherish!
Spending quality time with all the family is important and Aerogard wants to continue to create more special moments, and what better way to do this than bringing families together for a campout! (with the Aerogard packed of course!)Register at aerogardgrampout.com.au and have a chance to win $5,000 worth of gift cards* to spend on your backyard! Go on, register your own Grampout at home, or at your favourite camp spot today!
If you are in Sydney on the 30th of November, Aerogard is showcasing the Great Gran and Grampout on Sydney’s Cockatoo Island. Families lucky enough to attend will enjoy a fun packed entertainment schedule! Apply* at aerogardgrampout.com.au*Terms and Conditions apply. Visit aerogardgrampout.com.au. Authorised NSW Permit No. LTPS/13/07905, ACT Permit No. 13/03625
Over to you, lovely Mamamia readers- what’s happening in your world?
Top Comments
Something has been really annoying me lately and want to throw it out there - Resilience, are we and schools bringing up the next generation with no resilience, and does this cause bullying and not coping with it?? At my son's school the children are not allowed outside at recess or lunch if its raining, are not allowed to play Aussie Rules using any tackling, and what has really got my goat was my son (aged 11 at the time) had to come home and tell me he got into trouble at school when playing with his friends cause he held up the ball they were playing with out of reach of his mates (well he is the tallest of his class and just holding the ball would be out of reach LOL), he had to fill out an A4 page report saying what he had done wrong, the consequences and why it wasn't nice to the other children (none of the other children said they were upset, and my son is very well liked and looked up to at school and is a big hearted softy) I was wild, how the hell do kids learn to cope with anything? What happens later on in life when something really bad happens, our kids wont know what to do or how to cope, which brings me to my main point - bullying, does this actually make it easier for bullies, knowing there victims can't cope with it? Does it make the victims more likely to just "accept" the abuse cause they don't know how to deal with it? Also I think kids aren't being taught any respect for other beings, how to have empathy, sympathy, to be caring, things seem to be so self centered, and no one cares, and with this attitude they easily hurt others emotionally and physically. Myself I'm trying hard to bring up our kids to be resilient, caring individuals and look for opportunities when they arise to help them do that, does anyone else??
My husband has moved out and taken a lease on a unit for six months. We have been together for ten years, married for 5.5. We've had a troubled relationship. Husband has terrible anger and irritability. Not helped by two full on boys aged 4 and 3. Despite everything that has happened in the past I feel so sad that my life has turned out this way. I don't feel like talking to anyone I know because I don't know anyone who has gone through this. I feel different and alone. Hate having to tell the kids that "Daddy is going to work" each time he leaves, although his job does have him away on a roster so it is not that unusual to them that he goes away. I know it is madness to hang on to something just because you fear the future and don't want to be alone but right now I'm clinging on to the devil I know. I hate this.