Traffic and Tantrums (Almost)

Parramatta Road on any given evening, about 5pm, is an absolute nightmare. It doesn't discriminate. Weekday and weekends, it is fairly consistent. Absolute nightmare!

I found myself smack bang in the middle of one of these joyous traffic 5pm specials one weekend. We were crawling towards the M4. Baby steps. One roll forward, two kilometres back... You get the gist. I had two bordering on cranky kids in the car. I was stuck in a jam. What do I do? I started speaking in my Valley Girl accent. 

For the next 15 mins I took on the role of a Valley Girl to keep them entertained. 

"Oh my gahd why is there, like, so much traffic?" I shrilled suddenly as Tata was about to burst out into a whinge attack because I apparently did not buy the lolly she wanted from the store "back there"... Wherever "there" was. I do not have a clue because apparently I should not ask because I know. I don't. Really.

"So, like, if you're totally good, you totally get, like, some candy okay?" I said, this new persona possessed me. 

"Um, okay" Tata agreed surprised, her tears forgotten. 

Toto was laughing gaily in his seat. 

"Mummy!" He gasped in between laughter. "You sound real!"

"Uh hell-ooooo?" I cried out, continuing on with this crazy accent. "Like, euwwwww, I'm totally real! Can't you see, like, I'm totally human. Like. You know?"

They laughed and continued to talk to Valley Girl. I was having a blast. After I drove for about a maximum of 1 kilometre, I gave up fighting the traffic and turned into Burwood. 

"Detour kids," I said in my normal voice. "We're having Tim Ho Wan baked buns for dinner."

"Mummy where is the other voice?" Tata asked, disappointed my accent was gone.

"Mummy is hungry," I replied. "The voice has to rest."

"That was cool mummy," Toto chuckled.

"Cool!" Tata agreed, her face beaming. 

I smiled smugly to myself as I drove into Westfield. I was cool. They thought their mum was cool. Even for just half the length of that atrocity we call Parramatta Road. 

Well, like, give me a high five, okay? 😉😋

Aha Moment

You know that feeling when you have a little tiny random thought... Like an aha moment... Or a revelation? And for that split second when the thought enters your head, everything is right in the world. It makes sense. It becomes clear. And you try to grasp the enormity of that thought but it slips away before you can fully comprehend its meaning. However, the feeling it leaves you is good. It is almost like a promise that all will be okay. And that you are doing okay. It felt like God whispering to me " All good Rhyanne, I got this. I got you."

So, I take a deep breath and smile because I know all is well. It's comforting. 

Autumn Afternoon

Sometimes in life.....

....when everything is right in the world

....when the sun casts its rays just perfectly on the tree

....when these two are happily eating their ice blocks because it is uncannily warm for an autumn day

....when they are scratching like crazy because they have been rolling around on the grass and laughing like crazy with a new friend they made at the park

....when the crunch of the autumn leaves beneath my steps make me smile 

....when everyone is just happy

....You don't need a filter because life is just perfect. Even for just that moment.