Providing free online community support to people affected by breast cancer

Recent Entries

• The joy of a Zen rock garden

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  I've always been fascinated by those Zen sand gardens - the little tray of sand with the rake to draw the ripples, usually around a stone. One of the houses I walk past each morning has a white gravel front yard featuring a couple of thoughtfully positioned large rocks. The gravel is meticulously r...

• The joy of good icecream

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  I'm pretty careful about what I eat. I have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables every day and I eat fish regularly. I hardly ever eat takeaway food and can honestly say that, at the age of 51, I have never eaten a McDonalds hamburger. But I love icecream. I figure if I'm going to treat myself to ...
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• The joy of gratitude

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  I read a book a couple of months ago called The Ultimate Gift, written by Jim Stovall. In a chapter entitled The Gift of Gratitude I read the following passage. He explained to me that every morning before he got up he would lie in bed-or wherever he had been sleeping-and visualise a golden tablet o...
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• The joy of banana skins

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  The first thing I thought of when I wrote the title for this blog was those slap stick skits of someone slipping on a banana skin. That made me laugh and was a moment of joy in itself but this blog is about something else. Recently a wart appeared on my thumb. Initially I didn't worry about it, kno...

• The joy of being a useful parent

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  Writing has always been one of my passions. It's right up there with cooking. In 2006 I completed an Advanced Diploma of Arts in Professional Writing, and, while I enjoyed every minute of the four years it took me to complete part time, I can honestly say it was more work than my Degree in law. Tha...

• The joy of honest friends

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  One of my dear friends recently came over with her husband from Canberra to stay with us. We have been friends since I worked there for three years, 20 years ago. I have only seen her husband on a few occasions as they met after I returned to Adelaide. She epitomises everything I value in a real fr...

• The joy of a man recovered

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  For the past few years I have provided work hardening placements to people recovering from a work injury. Some have had physical injuries and others psychological. All up I have had six different people in my team over time - some for a couple of months, others for up to a year. All of them have bee...

• The joy of country hairdressers

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  Yesterday I went to the hairdresser in Port Vincent to get my hair coloured. I did so because my usual hairdresser at home has closed her salon for a month while she has a baby. She works alone so there is no one else to take over while she is away. Whilst I hardly begrudge her the time off - perso...

• The joy of reconnection

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  On Tuesday we went to visit my uncle who lives not far from Port Vincent, where we are staying in our caravan. He lives in a country town with his partner of maybe 15 years. We all like her. She is a lovely woman. He became involved with her after he separated from my auntie - to whom he was married...

• The joy of sea legs

  by JoBattersby1961 November 2, 2013
  For the first few days of our stay at Port Vincent the friend I referred to in www.beatcancerwithjoy.com/discovering-moments-of-joy/ - the one who had also had breast cancer - has come here with her husband to spend some time with us. Not only did we want to enjoy some holiday time together, her hus...