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Just popping to Coles for some milk and a tailored dress …

Posted on October 8th, 2011 by Tracey

Yep, weird huh? I had heard that Coles was going to add clothes to their supermarkets, I was skeptical… and curious. Coles has always been groceries only, maybe there might be an occassion where we needed to get a pair of socks but jeans, dresses, activewear or accessories? Definately not.

But wouldn’t you know it, 2 of our local Coles supermarkets have the new Mix apparel collection available to browse & purchase. I was popping in for another litre of milk (Jasper is milk drinking machine lately!), and a lovely girl out the front of Coles hands me a Mix catalog, a voucher and a free bag of candy. She’s hit all my weak spots – clothes, discounts and SUGAR.

I was surprised at the amount of stuff in their collection – and a few of the pieces did feel like good quality matched with a good price. It basically felt like a mini Kmart or Big W (though slightly nicer) right next to the canned foods aisle.


this is as close to me in a swimsuit you’ll ever see

I came away with the Polka Dot halter maillot which was only $25 – the Boardwalk dress ($29) was tempting and the Sleeveless tie front top ($15) was pretty cute too.

Anyway, if you’re curious like me, check it out. Being very money conscious right now, I definately would have a quick wizz around the Mix collection now and then, just in case …

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the luck of the … Australian Born Chinese?

Posted on September 16th, 2011 by Tracey


image source

My mother was over at our house this morning to drop Jasper over at day care while I head the other way and go with Jovie to Gymbaroo.

‘I forgot to tell you we won lotto!’ she says. ‘$14.70!’

How cool, I think to myself as I finish putting shoes on Jo.

She continues … ‘It was on that lottery ticket you bought Dad last week. Do you realise the last 4 tickets you’ve bought all have won something?’

She’s right – my lottery ticket won $12.70, Dad’s won the $14.70, and the 2 father’s day scratchies I bought both won $15 each. It’s not the jackpot, but it is something and we made our money back on them all plus a little change. The last time I won on lotto was … oh NEVER.

As she heads out the door with Jasper, my mother turns to me and says ‘hey if you happen to be near the same newsagent again today, could you pick me up the exact same lottery ticket? you’ve got the luck on your side!’

I smile, it must be luck or fate or some sort of funny way Buddha is shining a light down on me. Luck is such a funny gift.

I did go buy that lottery ticket for her, you know, just to see… lol. But I never feel ‘lucky’, I believe whatever you get, you earn because you put in the hard work. The lottery however, well you gotta be in it to win it!

R U OK?

Posted on September 15th, 2011 by Tracey

R U OK?Day 2011 is on 15th September, today. On this day they want everyone across the country from all backgrounds and all walks of life to ask friends, families and colleagues: “Are you OK?”.

There has been 2 important times in my life when I needed to hear that from someone…

R U OK?

You might not know about this about me, actually I bet you don’t as I’ve never spoken it about it. When I was a kid, growing up in the suburbs, not a care in the world and as innocent as they come – I was repeatedly and regularly sexually assaulted by a neighbour. A trusted neighbour. Someone we saw every day.

Back then, I didn’t realise what was happening was not right, or I would of certainly said something. So it stayed a secret for years until high school, and unfortunately during a Health class. I can’t remember the topic that set me off, but during that class the memories of my childhood were triggered and I flipped the poop out, internally. I didn’t want to believe it, but it couldn’t be ignored and it really blew my mind that I had experienced something so nasty, so young and so alone.

I began to withdraw from school, friends and probably reality itself. I began cutting myself, not in a suicidal way, but I guess it was a release? Whatever I was doing, it wasn’t good and thankfully I had amazing friends, who went above and beyond to ask me R U OK? when they saw the scars and poor bandage job on my wrists.

Without that R U OK?, you wouldn’t be reading a blog about a well adjusted (I like to think!) mum of two.

—–

R U OK?

The most recent time I needed to be asked R U OK? has been in the last week. Jovie’s autism diagnosis has both been a relief and a stressful time. My friends again have been the ones hanging on to me, asking whether we need anything and just sitting with us to listen and to talk it out.

They’ve met me at parks, brought over a frozen coke, sent me emails and left me amazing voicemails. My friends are reminders that my worries are their worries – that I am not alone in the fight.

Without this R U OK?, I don’t think I would be as clear as I am today about the whole diagnosis.

—–

You don’t need 650 friends on Facebook or Twitter. You don’t need the world’s most popular blog with readers from all over the world. You just need that 1 good friend that will give you some time out of their day to listen to you.

I am here if you need an ear, to vent or to talk something through.

My email is tracey@sh1ft.org – you can email me or use the form here – and I’m asking YOU right now – R U OK? This is open past today, whenever you want to email me, just do it.