Sunshine and Whimsy

Okay. . . so somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted to hike the Three Capes Track in Tassie.    It was an early start on a Tuesday morn and after a Monday filled with shopping and packing it was quite an achievement when the straps were tightened on my rucksack. My companion and I arrived to a pleasant Hobart day - with our rucksacks in company with a happy looking seal perched upon the arrivals baggage carosel.  My immediate reaction to Sammy was 'the things people pack' soon followed by a silent acknowledgement of great advertising by the Tassie tourist industry.   Car pick up - alas the driver 'namely me' did not actually pack her driver's licence!  Great start Juls! Yes, I did drive to Hobart, but alas we were a wee bit early for check-in.  So we parked the car and perused Salamanca Place, filled with creative types and interesting nooks and crannies. We walked to the town centr e for yet more stuff which I needed and on the way we w...

'You've got to get up' her excited call wakes me. I'd opened the curtains so many times, hopefully expecting brilliant white to meet my eyes but alas, no such sight appeared to me. Instead, the murky dark of a dull morning had greeted me.  Yet now my heart raced with excitement! The warmth of those fluffy grey sheets forgotten my feet hit the floor, brrrr it's chilly. I shiver! Through the living room window I am greeted by white, everywhere, white. Small snowflakes fall languidly from the sky, so softly falling. I watch, hypnotized by the sight that greets me - snow!  The balcony which last night had a light white smattering, is now inches thick with powdered ice.  Buzz stands knee deep with Toothless nearby, his eyes barely visible, both waiting patiently in the newly fallen snow, for their owner to arrive.  Daddy lights the fire and watches on, as Mummy and Gama Juju bound down the stairs and out the front door - like little girls themse...

Well, well, well . . . That wasn't what I expected when I said "yes" to a cuppa. The day had started at a leisurely pace.  Nice sunny morning, although a bit breezy.  Brekky was had whilst sitting with our backs to the sun's warmth.  An 'only one egg' cooked breakfast for him, a banana/strawberry smoothie and vegemite toast for me. Papers spread before us... we shared interesting tidbits, news is highly overrated me thinkst.  The highlight - our stars - Pisces for us both.  Hard to believe I know!  Our traits it seems, come from opposite ends of the Piscean spectrum. A bit of house and garden work before we venture out and about.  A small gathering, one of many other gatherings, so many people.  Tables overflowing, kids swarming the playground, helium balloons tantalisingly, buffeted by the breeze, causing the 'small one' to raise her hands and smile. We meet the NZ friends - two blonde haired teens and their parents.  The teens, ...

So, I've decided to participate in the World's Greatest Shave.  I'm registered and have some jolly wonderful sponsors - thanks to those fabulous individuals that have donated and/or pledged a donation.  Every now and then I get a bit nervous!  What am I going to look like with a short fuzz of hair crowning my head?  Will I reach my goal?  Will I get stared at?   Blah, blah, blah...  And then... I'm excited by the prospect.   Especially when I get a new sponsor or pledge, they spur me on, put a smile on my face, increase my determination.    What quirky headgear can I wear to counteract the nakedness?   How good I will feel to know, that I have made a difference, even if it is just a little bit.  The good fund raising ideas swirl around in my brain, putting them into action is another thing.  Tonight I popped over to my local shopping centre.  One raffle prize, two contacts and one outright no - I have but s...

So... we are travelling to Vancouver on a 15hr flight and we don’t have seats beside each other!  How did that happen you might ask – but please don’t J   The best we could do was sitting in the same row with someone in between us – hopefully they will change seats – after all, who in their right mind would want to sit between Ray and I? The morning started with the alarm at 3am.  Ray in a groggy state got up to go to the loo and as he rounded the corner of the bed stubbed his toe with an almighty thud!!!  Moaning he limped to the loo.  Me in my usual caring manner said “you will be walking up Deer Mountain, even if you toe is broken.”  Poor Ray J Charlie Brown (our feline companion) had decided she wanted to stay on the bed and was most disgruntled when I shuffled her onto the floor...  “What’s going on?” Her eyes implored. Thanks to Phil our very kindly driver, we made it with plenty of time to the airport. And he even managed to take o...

Today was such a bleak day…  We already had it planned and what a good way to spend a rainy day. First port of call the Gallery Café.  Cappuccino for me, chai latte for my most wonderful friend Susan.  And… a sweet little plaited pastry topped with pecans for us both.   Then . . . to the gallery we must go, to the gallery we must go . . .  Quilting and patchwork – amazing!!! http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0006/140100/Coverlet_banner.jpg

I have been playing Words with Friends with my friend Jacinta for a   couple of weeks now.   Or so I thought . . .   Today I received a birthday card from my friend Jacinta and as it was my turn on Words with Friends, I sent her a message to say thank you.   Only to receive a reply saying “I think you have the wrong person”.

My friend and I went out to dinner tonight.   It was at her invitation and it all sounded grand until . . .   What time and where?   I text.   The Chocolate Pavilion at Southbank she texts in reply.   Hmmm, doesn’t really sound dinner-like I think to myself, but what the heck, surely there will be something ‘proper’ on the menu. Firstly I can’t find the cafe.   I walk up and down Little Stanley Street and it just isn’t there.   And then on my third pass I spy it – I was looking for a sumptuous and alluring facade but what I find is a bright lighted venue with little visual appeal.   My friend arrives and we um and arr about whether it is open or not.   We can see a lone figure sitting at a table and a fellow sweeping the floor but that is it.   We try the door, yep it’s open, we are feeling conspicuous (well I am anyway), so we walk in and take a seat.   The lone figure rises, the fellow puts down his broom, we are the on...

Plans had been made to go to the markets with my friend Robyn...  The alarm set with enough time for CB (Charlie Brown, our cat) to be set free for a short while.  Managed to leave the house so I would be on time.  Forgot my hat so turned around and went back to get it (actually didn't end up wearing it though)...  Friend collected and we were on our way. I really should not partake of interesting conversation when I am driving.  Three wrong turns later and we finally made it.  Then what's this?  The car park is full.  We are directed to another car park, what seems like miles away.  Really, what choice did we have!

Ok - so I go to NZ to visit my son and daughter-in-law, all is calm when I leave, although the weather had been hot, hot, hot.  The cooler air of Queenstown was very, very welcome. Unfortunately while I was away, a very unpleasant visitor came to holiday along my homeland's coastline . . . Ray's "it's a bit windy here" might have been a slight under-exaggeration (is that a word?).

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The time has come the walrus said to talk of many things... Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings. Oh those poor, dear oysters :( Do you know this poem - The Walrus and the Carpenter?   From Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There , 1872 - such an amazing author, one very imaginative mind.   http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/looking/chapter4.html