Welcome to my blog!
Among many things, I am a mother, daughter, wife, sister, nurse, friend, scrap-booker, writer, traveller, cat lover – and now, newly retired.
The short version of me goes something like this…
I grew up in a small farming community in New Zealand, later moving to a small beach town. I trained as a nurse in that same community before heading overseas to Texas to work as an RN. From there, I moved on to London, where I did agency nursing and met my soon-to-be Australian husband.
We returned to New Zealand for a few years, where I once again worked in my training hospital. During that time, we had two boys before making the move to Australia. I then worked as an RN in aged care in Australia, eventually going onto to become Deputy Service Manager and then Service Manager. Somewhere along the way, we welcomed our third son.
And now, I’m retired… although retirement hasn’t quite gone to plan.
I had spent many happy hours planning my travels for the year ahead. Just before my first trip – a safari in South Africa – I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
So, for now, travel is on hold. My journey has shifted a little. But the travel will still be there – the world isn’t going anywhere. I just need to wait a little longer before I begin exploring it again.
For years, my identity was tied to what I did for work, what others needed, and what was expected of me. Retirement felt scary at first like stepping off a moving train.
Life has since changed the direction of that retirement, adding another layer of uncertainty. But to quote Kelly Clarkson, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
There are still many journeys ahead of me – some planned, many not.
With the support of my boys, my friends, and anyone who chooses to follow along, I will navigate whatever comes next. I will travel, I will keep moving forward, and I will live my life to the fullest – whatever that life now looks like.
Real life. Real journeys. Still moving forward.
Journeys of Me 