Gina's Diary
May 2008 Archives
Diary Entry #44
28 May 2008
Hi everyone!!
I hope you are all well and happy!!
Well life has been wonderful here… lots going on….
Last weekend my beautiful husband and I travelled up to Tamworth to help out the National Breast Cancer Foundation. They have been lucky enough to have Qantaslink paint one of their planes pink and we went up there to celebrate!! We are trying to spread the message to the country women of Australia to get out there and have their breasts examined regularly. Early detection is our best defence girls, so don’t forget to have your boobs checked too!!!
Rod and I flew up in the morning, and then while Rod was sound checking, I went on a charity flight with some beautiful people to raise money and awareness. We had champagne and strawberries and lovely little pink cupcakes!! The flight was actually on of the roughest flights I have ever been on and some of the people on board were on their first ever flight!!! We joked that perhaps they would never want to fly again, but I assured a few of them that it really wasn’t quite the normal flying conditions!! Oh well all for a great cause!!
Then when we landed, after much media, we had a sausage sizzle and then Rod and I performed a few songs. The Australian Girls Choir were also performing and WOW! They were amazing!! There was barely a dry eye in the house when they sang “I Still Call Australia Home”.
Not long after that we headed over to a hangar for a cocktail party and some more performing!!
We were in and out of Tamworth and tucked up in our own beds within 12 hours so it really was a bit of a whirlwind trip, but so much fun and so worthwhile.
I am so proud to have been named as an ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I am really hoping I can help them out more in the future, particularly with taking the message of early detection out there to the rural women of Australia!
Check out the photo album on my website as I have included a few photos of us performing and in front of the pinklink qantaslink plane. (I am wearing a hot pink shirt under my suit to go with the theme!! And Rod has a little pink ribbon on his suit!!)
Anyway if you would like more information about the NBCF and the wonderful work they do go to pinklink.org.au
Yesterday my beautiful parents left for Melbourne to pick up their brand new Jayco caravan!!
They are so excited!! They are going to enjoy travelling around the place now and they will really be doing it in style in their beautiful new Jayco!!!
Dad has promised that he will drive it and set up in some beautiful parts and then invite us over for little getaways from our busy life11
We can’t wait!!
I haven’t really done too much performing lately. We have been absolutely loving being home on the weekends, being the soccer parents and just enjoying our little family and friends!!
I am really missing my Songbird buddies though!!
Beccy rang the other day to say she is out touring with Adam Brand and I said, “Ooh it feels a bit like you’re cheating on us!!!” Lol!!
We are all such great friends we really do enjoy our time together!
Anyway, speaking of great friends, I am still smiling after all of my birthday celebrations!!
I just have to tell you that I am really loving being 40!!
I thought it seemed like such a scary number when I was looking ahead to it but in reality I have found that 40 is unbelievable!!
I was watching Oprah (I love Oprah!!) and she said something so true…..that in your 20’s you are trying to be something else, in your 30’s you are working your bum off at your career and in your 40’s you have arrived!! It’s true!! I have never felt so confident, so happy in my skin, so healthy and so happy about who I am!!
It is wonderfull!!!!
And they say that the 50’s are even better!!
I think the thing is that no matter what age you are, you just need to remember to enjoy yourself and appreciate every little thing.
On that note, I will say goodbye for now!
Until next time,
Live well, laugh often and Love much!!
Lots of love
Gina x
Diary Entry #43
10 May 2008
Well hello again!!
It’s been another busy couple of weeks here.
The Songbirds travelled to Melrose to do a huge outdoor festival with Lee Kernaghan, James Blundell, The McClymonts and Dianna Corchrane to name just a few.
It was so much fun!!
It was a huge 4 hour drive out of Adelaide. Unfortunately when we were almost there we were booked for speeding…..and then arrived in town and got breathalysed!!! (Lucky it was before the show Bec!!) Though we never drink and drive just in case you are wondering…
Anyway, the show was so much fun!! A wonderful crowd!!
But the funniest bit was after out the back….. Sara and I went to those awful portaloos and Sar swears that I accidentally locked her in hers!! She was in there for 4 whole Lee Kernaghan songs!!! Poor thing!! I feel so bad but it was funny!!
She said that it was so disappointing because after being in there for so long she thought surely she was going to be on Candid Camera but no!!! Ha Ha!! Anyway she is still smiling!!
Last weekend I did a dinner show at Campbelltown in Sydney. It was one of my favourite shows this year. I had the wonderful Lou Bradley open the show and then we did an acoustic show with just Rod on the guitar and Jeff his brother on the bass. Very intimate show where the crowd were encouraged to yell out for whatever song they wanted so we did some songs I haven’t sung for years!
I loved it!! Rod even sang a song which was just beautiful!
It reminded me of the early days in my career when I used to open for Lee Kernaghan and Rod was in his band at the time. Well after the shows we would always go back to the motel and play a game where we passed the guitar around and everyone had to sing (even the tour manager and sound man!!) it was always fun and it was so beautiful to hear Rod sing again!! He has the most beautiful voice!! Makes me melt!
Rod’s brother Jeff was amazing too!! It has been many years since Jeff has played with me and he was awesome!!
The next day Rod had a Fender Guitars event where he plays all the new acoustic guitars to lots of dealers from all over Australia. I got up and sang a song too just for fun. So as to try and justify why I was there I told them all that I am qualified not by my guitar playing skills but because I am married to one of Australias top guitar players and our 5 year old son plays a Fender Strat!!! Well then I thought it was appropriate to tell one of our famous little stories that probably everyone in the country music family tells at dinner parties just for fun….. It goes like this… Quite a few years ago, a wonderful Australian guitar player by the name of Colin Watson was playing in Anne Kirkpatricks band over on Hamilton Island. Anyway, Colins eyesight is not the best, and he was lying beside the pool and struck up a conversation with a man. The guy asked him what he did and he said he was a guitar player. Col told him the name of his band…then Colin asked him what he did too. He said he was also a guitar player. Colin asked him what was the name of his band and he said, “The Beatles” !! It was George Harrison!!! How funny!!! Poor Col couldn’t recognise him but we are so glad because it is a wonderful story!!!
On the home front, our little boy Jackson is doing very well with his soccer!! I absolutely love being a soccer Mum!!! They are so cute, all chasing the ball around.
Funniest bit this week was when Rod was running on the field with the boys coaching them and he said to Jackson, “Tackle that number five.” Well Jackson did just that but not with his feet, he tackled him Rugby League style!!! I guess we need to be a little more specific with the coaching directions!!!!
It is Mothers Day this weekend and I am really looking forward to being spoilt for the day, though I don’t have my expectations too high for my present from our little boy… Apparently at pre school this week they have all been doing craft for their mums but Jackson has already told me that it’s too boring and he didn’t make me any of the lovely things I have seen his best friend has made for his Mum!!
Oh well, I am sure I will get the best cuddle in the world and breakfast in bed!!
I will let you know !!
To all you Mums out there, I hope you have a wonderful mothers Day!
Spoil your Mum!!
Mums are like Angels on Earth!!!
Happy Mothers Day!!!
Especially to my Mum who is the most beautiful person on the planet!!
I love you Mum!
Love Gina xxxx
Ooh PS I had a complaint that I don’t say my old saying anymore…. So here it is back again!!
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love Much!!
Gina x
