Sunday Selections #596

 

 

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image. 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

 

I usually run with a theme. Last week I was seriously in need of beauty and solace so, as we so often do, on the first sunny day we headed down to the lake.

 

We found both beauty and solace too.

The Dignity Drive is on again.  Inflation is driving prices up again (dramatically) so of course I contributed again.

I was pleased to find the items at the front of my selection, neither of which was available when I menstruated.

I hope you all find beauty, solace and support in your week.

Dignity Drive

Share the Dignity is an Australian charity which works to help disadvantaged people, particularly women.  The #Dignity Drive focuses on providing sanitary items so that 'No woman should suffer the indignity of choosing between eating or buying sanitary items.'

The Goods and Services Tax has (finally) been removed from sanitary products but they are still not cheap.  A local real estate agent acts as a collection point, and it is a drive I am very happy to support.

We are asked to contribute new and unopened sanitary items such as pads, tampons, cups and incontinence products for distribution to those in need to ensure that everyone is afforded the dignity in life than many  of us take for granted.

I have been collecting goods for some time and this year I finally tracked down a Menstrual Cup.  They are really not cheap though.  I gather than you might need two (one for heavier days) and that they should last six to nine months.  I found them in two places.  In the first they cost $45 each !!!.  They were roughly half that in the second place I found them, but I suspect at those prices they are out of reach of many women.  Cheaper in the long term they may be - but only if you have the funds for that initial purchase.

 

McCann's (a local real estate agent) is acting as a collection agent.  Sadly our lockdown has meant that their office is closed and I had to hunt for somewhere else I could take my contribution (while not breaching the lockdown provisions).

 

It is a great cause, and shouldn't be necessary.  Sadly it is. The impact of COVID-19 has meant that even more women are having to make the choice between buying food or sanitary items.

I hope that when our lockdown gets lifted (at this stage at the middle of this month) businesses will continue to collect and distribute (despite the drive officially finishing at the end of last month).

Sadly at the moment it seems that dignity is another loss that we can chalk up to Covid.  We are all in this together, but we are emphatically not all in the same boat. 

While Share the Dignity is an Australian charity the need still exists across the world.  Perhaps there is something similar near you.

 

 

#Dignity Drive

 

Share the Dignity is an Australian charity which works to help disadvantaged people, particularly women.  The #Dignity Drive focuses on providing sanitary items so that 'No woman should suffer the indignity of choosing between eating or buying sanitary items.'

The Goods and Services Tax has (finally) been removed from sanitary products but they are still not cheap.  When the flyer below landed in my letter box I was very glad to help.

 

McCann's (a local real estate agent) is acting as a collection agent.  When I took my contributions down I was thrilled to see that they had a great collection (and was told that it was the second or third time they had taken their collection in to the organisers in my city.

 

It is a great cause, and shouldn't be necessary.  Sadly it is. 

The impact of COVID-19 has meant that even more women are having to make the choice between buying food or sanitary items, with Share the Dignity reporting a 54% increase in charities registering  Dignity Drive, when compared to their last drive. 

The Dignity Drive will run across all Woolworths Supermarkets and Metro stores nationally, giving customers the opportunity to donate sanitary items via collection boxes. These will then be distributed to girls and women who cannot afford to buy sanitary items.  Other businesses are also acting as collection points.

In addition, Woolworths will donate five cents from the sale of pads, tampons and liners in to Share the Dignity, to help the charity fund more dignity vending machines that dispense free sanitary items to women experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or are facing difficult circumstances. 

While Share the Dignity is an Australian charity the need still exists across the world.  Perhaps there is something similar near you. 

I do hope that my Australian readers will be able to donate some items to this wonderful and sadly needed drive.    

 

Sunday Selections #509

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.

 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 

 

I usually run with a theme. This week I am sharing the festive season's approach to the Dignity Drive.  The Dignity Drive seeks to give people (particularly women) in poverty some of the dignity that they so often lack.  We were asked to fill a gently used handbag with items to put a smile on the face of someone who is struggling.  As usual I had fun selected items to include and cramming them into the second hand bag I picked up at an op shop.

As well as necessities I added a few 'luxuries'.  I can well remember a time when I had to save up for sanitary items, shampoo and conditioner and never want to return to those dark days again.  With that in mind I added some moisturiser, some lip balm, some nail polish, a colourful scarf and a couple of strings of beads.

When I took my bag down to the real estate office I was pleased to see others clustered under their Christmas tree - and even more pleased to hear that they had already made one delivery and expected to make more before the Dignity Drive finishes.  For Australian readers I understand that Bunnings Hardware stores are also acting as a drop off point.

I am going to finish this post by reverting to type and sharing some of the colour blazing in our garden.

I really like these double poppies (as do the bees and other insects).  I save the seeds each year and broadcast them across the gardens.

 

Our 'Christmas Cactus' is blooming early (and well) this year too.  Another splash of red to brighten the garden, the day, my mood...

 

 Spectacular aren't they?

Sunday Selections #455

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle.
 
The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
I usually run with a theme.  This week I am going down the 'snippets' route.

Unaddressed advertising material (aka junk mail) usually goes straight to recycling and doesn't enter the house.  Last year (about this time) we received a piece from a local real estate agent acting as an agent for Share the Dignity.  This year's Christmas Drive is called '#ITSINTHEBag'.  I participated last year, and kept a watch for it this year - and had fun filling a bag for a homeless/disadvantaged woman.

I hope she enjoys it.  I had fun selecting essentials and some small luxuries.

Then to the birds.

This sulphur crested cockatoo (aka vandal) delighted us one afternoon preening just outside the windows.

 

 And some colour in the garden.

Even just after first light I enjoy the garden.


At the moment I can only send emails through Webmail (my ISP is working on the issue) - and have difficulties even there in sending messages to River, to Cindi, Margaret Adamson, Mark Koopmans and Robyn Engels.  There may be others too.

Thank you so much for your comments and emails of support.  They are very much appreciated, and led me to feel that a brief explanation is in order.  

I am ok(ish).  The fires, while horrendous, are not in my area at the moment.

I always feel inadequate.  I am convinced that anything I do could/should be done better.

While it is not precisely comfortable, most of the time I use that inadequacy to spur myself on to greater effort.  For some time now rather than feel inadequate I have been feeling like a complete and utter waste of space and I wonder whether the world would be better off without me. Feeling like this has led to my blog break while I try and refind some equilibrium.  I should add that I am not actively considering suicide.   I have been in this place before and hope that I will emerge again.  Thank you again for your messages and your patience.

And yes, I have turned the comments off again.