rodeo

Just like last year, we spent the Saturday after Australia Day at the Taralga Rodeo. This year, my friend Cristin came along to keep me company while The Husband was off doing his paparazzi thing. We found ourselves a comfy place under a tree and spent the day people watching. And what a bunch of characters to see! It was crazy dusty, but much cooler than last year, thankfully. Have to say though, it's a bit scary that I know all of the words to that many country songs!

waltzing matilda

Today was our fourth Australia Day in Sydney, and it was apparently the hottest one in twenty years. Yikes. (I thought last year was hotter, but what do I know?) Anyway - we celebrated Australia's 110th birthday with lots of activities in the sunshine. Starting out just like last year, we got up in the very early darkness and headed to Parramatta for the dawn hot air balloon launch.


Unlike last year, the weather was gorgeous, without a single drop of rain. The wind was blowing in the wrong direction, however, so the balloons didn't actually launch. But we did manage to take some great photos. The colours of the balloons were beautiful against the brilliant blue summer sky. Note the balloon reminding you to 'Slip! Slop! Slap!' I am happy to announce that I did all three!

It's not easy for me to get out of bed at 4:30am with a smile on my face, but it was totally worth it. Not everyone thought the balloons were wonderful, however. This guy wasn't so sure.


As usual, I took more photos of people than of anything else. I love that my long lens allows me to take a close up of someone without them even knowing it. People watching is always a good time; so many quintessential Aussie moments to capture this morning.


Just like last year, I headed back to bed for awhile, before we headed down to the harbour to watch the boat races and air show. Strangely, a thick fog had rolled in off the coast, and so the tall ships looked almost ghostly, floating through the mist.


It's kind of a bummer to have a holiday smack in the middle of the week, but always nice to have a day off to spend together. Definitely another successful Australia Day. Happy Birthday Australia!

hope

I have taken a long break from blogging again, thinking at some point I will wake up and want to blog again. That the words will flow easily and freely, and I will be able to share lighthearted stories of our holidays. I keep telling myself that this blog is about fun adventures in a (sometimes) foreign country and I should keep it perky and funny. But life continues to show me that it isn't always going to be sunshine and butterflies. It's sometimes going to be rough and stormy and rainy and difficult. And finding the joy in those times can be awfully hard.

The Husband and I ran away together for Christmas this year. We spent some time in a quieter place, reflecting on the future and enjoying each others company. We held hands and watched the sun go down on 2010, looking forward to 2011 with anticipation, mixed with a little trepidation. You really never know what life is going to swing your way... and the more we live, the more that becomes clear.

We returned from our trip anxious to catch up on the rest of the world. We had - by choice - isolated ourselves from the world for a time and there was a rush of overwhelming information to read and take in. I found that a woman whose blog I frequent had lost her home over the holidays. Following her story in the days since has humbled me and made me feel incredibly sad and hopeful at the same time. I cannot imagine the feeling of utter loss, and yet, her story only rings of hope and blessings.

The last week or so has brought incredible, unbelievable loss to the people of Australia. Floods the likes of which are rarely seen have engulfed vast portions of the country, and all we could do was watch in disbelief. Personally knowing people who have been affected has brought a new dimension to the tragedy. But, after the waters peaked and the sun appeared... seeing the waves of people giving and sharing and helping in the cleanup has been equally awe-inspiring. It may take years for these folks to recover, but right now, they are pulling on their boots and going to work - helping those who are even less fortunate. The inherent goodness of humankind is sometimes too great for words.

Despite all of the tragedy and suffering going on in the world these days, it's the images of hope that stand out for me. People, joining hands, pushing past the opinions that divide us, and instead holding on to the things that make us all the same. These moments may be fleeting, but they stay with us long after. After the storms subside, even while we continue to slog through the muddy remainders, we can look up at the sky and see the rainbow.

Happy New Year. May it be a year that brings each one of us hope.

sparkle

One of my favourite things about the Christmas season has always been the lights. I remember when I was growing up, we used to drive down to Thanksgiving at Grams each year, and on the way home, my brothers and sisters and I would count how many houses we could see all lit up for Christmas. We never had Christmas at our house, you see, so those lights were like the mark of some secret society, all glittery and pretty against the snow.

I'll admit, I think the snow is a big part of the magic. The Husband and I took a detour on the way home the other night, just to drive past a house we had heard about - all lit up for Christmas. For Australian standards, it was pretty fantastic. You just don't see houses decked out Griswold-style here the way you see them 'back home.' Maybe it's because a strand of lights is $40+ here, but it could also be because there is no snow. The lights just don't feel the same without the snow.

The Husband and I didn't put up a tree this year, and I am missing the sparkle of the lights. I remember putting up the tree in years past and then turning off all the house lights and sitting in the dark, just watching the tree twinkle. (Of course, that is usually about the time the tree would crash to the floor. No kidding. It happened three years running. True story.) Still, I would love to come home to the sparkle and twinkle of those lights. It never seemed like Christmas until they were up.

Last night, after one too many Christmas centric episodes of my favourite TV shows (how many of you would have loved to kick Dwight Schrute in the face?!) I was feeling a little blue. It just doesn't feel like Christmas without the lights! So I dug out a single strand of white Christmas lights, plugged them in, and draped them over the book case. Turned out the lamp, and just looked at them twinkle. Perfect. All is right with the world.

baking day

Every year for over 10 years I have said "one day, I am going to take a day off and do all of my holiday baking." Well, this year, I finally did it. I took a Friday off, dusted off a few favourite recipes, as well as a few new ones, and spent a whole day baking. In reality, it ended up taking the better part of 3 days to get it all done, but everything sure turned out pretty.

The final tally... three days, 12 eggs, 1 kilo of butter, 2 bags of flour, 5 pounds of chocolate, over 350 cookies, 4 batches of icing, and 12 gift boxes of goodies. Oh, and a very, very sore back. Ugh.

But, how beautiful are these? Bet you are wishing you are on my Christmas list this year, aren't you?

green

Just had two minutes this morning before rushing off to work, and wanted to share some of the photos I took yesterday. The Husband and I took a walk through the city, all decked out in it's Christmas fancies. One upside to all the rain we have been getting is that the city is so green. All the flowers and blossoms are lovely, but I was so thankful for a sunny day - finally!

We had a nice afternoon at the Art Gallery of NSW with some friends, and then a long dinner on the patio at Pinos. It finally felt like summer. Love it.

looking backward to move forward

Aren't you always amazed at how fast time flies? One minute you are a child and the very next minute, you are all grown up, with adult worries and responsibilities. It's crazy how fast life just passes you by.

I admit, I have been wishing my life away lately. I am always waiting for it to be the weekend, or for it to be the holidays, or for it to be lunchtime, for that matter. It's not a healthy way to live life, but it seems that most of us are always looking forward to the next big thing, instead of appreciating the little things that are right now.

I was telling The Husband this week that I'd like to write a book about growing up in my family and all the little things that I remember. Trouble is, those little things come to mind when I am lying awake in the middle of the night, or when I am washing dishes... and I never take the time to sit in front of a notebook and write them down. It's hard to grasp onto those little things - they can zip by so quickly.

I have been looking back at old photos this week. After a recent hard drive failure, I am feeling a little more vulnerable about back ups and losing memories. My biggest regret is not taking the time to take more photos. I think I always felt like I had plenty of time to take more photos later. But the sun goes down and people move away and kids grow so fast and... suddenly the opportunity has passed.

I think my resolution for the coming year is going to be two fold. First, I am going to start carrying around a notebook to capture the little things. And secondly, I am going to take more photos. It's time to start making the effort; I know someday I'll be thankful that I did.

food coma

Thanksgiving was a massive success. Food, friends, laughs, and a total food hangover. Two days later and I think I am still suffering the effects. Totally worth it though... I could eat pumpkin pie every single day and never tire of it. While I missed my family, the friends we shared the day with were a perfect substitute. (Read more about the day here.) Many thanks to them for sharing their day with us!

Now that Thanksgiving is over with, it's officially summer here in Oz. In fact, this week marks the official first day of summer. I am looking forward to getting out on that beautiful big blue ocean and going kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming. So glad it's beach season - I have a ton of books to read! I am trying to focus on the positives and not think about the fact that "back home" they got their first dusting of snow this week. Strangely, I am feeling a little jealous. Feel free to mail me some!

thanks giving

Even though we won't be home for Thanksgiving this year, we are still going to be observing the day. While we will be trudging off to the office on the actual day, we'll be sharing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with some good friends on Saturday. The turkey, whom we have affectionately named Kyle, is already cooling his heels in the fridge. I'm not convinced the 15 pound guy is going to fit in the oven, but we'll see.

I thought it would be appropriate, given the season, to take a moment and give thanks for the good things in our lives. It's a Thanksgiving tradition in my family to go around the table and name something you are thankful for. Given the size of my family, this can sometimes take a while. But it's a good reminder for all of us as to all of the things we really have been blessed with.

This year, if I were sitting around that table, I would first say that I am thankful for my husband. He is the best man I have ever known. Kind, smart, thoughtful, good, loving, patient, calm, and so much fun to be with. I am truly the luckiest woman in the world to have both him and his daughter as my family.

I am also so thankful for the health my entire family has been blessed with. One of my biggest worries when coming here was that something might happen back home and I wouldn't be able to be there. There have been some scares, but for the most part, I am so thankful that everyone is happy and healthy.

I am thankful for friends. The good kind - the ones who show me grace when I screw up and those who offer a shoulder when I need one. The ones who make me laugh and even those who have taught me tough lessons.

Lastly, this year I am thankful for peace. The kind that comes from knowing that I am doing the right thing, even when it's not popular. The kind that comes from knowing I have done my best, and that is good enough. The kind that comes from realising that not everyone is going to approve of my choices, and that's ok! That doesn't make them bad choices. That kind of peace is such a blessing.

To those who we hold dearest - may you have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving this year. We have plenty of turkey to spare - feel free to stop by!

summer saturday

After what has seemed like weeks of rain, we had one gorgeous, hot, sunny day last weekend. We spent that day at the Red Bull Flugtag in Sydney's botanic gardens. A whole day, sitting in the sun, enjoying the view and the company of friends. Which led to me getting perhaps the worst sunburn I can ever remember, except for that one I had in Italy years ago... Anyway, this sunburn was so bad, in fact, that I neglected to wear shoes at the office for four days last week - simply due to the fact that I couldn't get them on my poor feet. I may have even claimed at one point that said sunburn was more painful than childbirth. I may have been crying when I said that. You get the idea. It was a bad sunburn. The moral of this story is that THIS weekend, when they predicted hot, sunny weather, and The Husband wanted to get out and enjoy it - I finally did what any responsible person would do: I went out and bought sunblock. Three cheers for me.

All that said, today we got out on the water for the first kayak of the summer. We joined a 7:30am Saturday kayak fitness class and it was fabulous. The water was calm and quiet, the sun was coming up and it was still cool enough to be comfortable. While the fitness part of it was a little annoying (says the professional couch potato), the kayaking was gorgeous and I can't wait to get back out there. I think we are going to make it a Saturday tradition from now on. It was a good workout and so much fun.


Since the kayak place is just around the corner from my office, I took the opportunity to take some photos of a couple of the things I drive past every day on the way to work. I see them each day and have been wanting to stop and take pictures. I think these are the kinds of things I'll miss the most one day when Australia is no longer home.



To me, November is the most beautiful time of the year in Sydney.