The six weeks of Christmas holidays always seem so long, don’t they? We had a mostly lazy time, making it harder to settle in to another year of school (as littlest bean said after a morning of maths and grammar, “I think my brain is turning to mush!” We told him that meant it needed more exercise 😉 )
We’re off on two weeks holiday on Saturday, so that won’t help things… we’re planning on sneaking in some educational field trips, though, so we don’t get too rusty..
Last week, I took a little trip into my past. I’ve done this a couple of times since moving back to Australia, but it just felt like a good time to wander down memory lane. I used to live in New Farm, back when it was a still part cosy neighbourhood… I took the train to the Valley, walked up to the New Farm Deli..
..didn’t feel much different.
Off to New Farm park – it was hotter that day than the weather forecast had promised. It was nice to sit in the shade for a bit, and the breeze was coming in from the river.
Didn’t really check out the famous roses…
Walked to the Sydney Street ferry, so I could check out the old place where I lived. It’s not there now, of course – it was demolished not long after I left.
There’s a cafe on the corner now, though – if that had been there then, I would have been down there all the time 🙂
The building you can see is some sort of hairdresser, I gather – the cafe’s behind it. I remember it as an old, abandoned corner shop.
Picked up a frangipani to put behind my ear, on the way to the ferry. Up to that point I hadn’t been much affected by nostalgia, but the ferry ride to the city made me choke up a little. Not sure why.
Went through the Mall to South Bank, via a market, where I picked up a goat pie and a freshly squeezed mango juice. Bought less books than anticipated at the Lifeline Bookfest. Got home eventually, where I fell exhausted into bed and slept longer than I have in ages…
It was a strange day, looking back. I wasn’t looking for great insights or major revelations… just curiosity, really.
Went in to town here this week, enjoyed a chai.
Go to Urban Pantry – it’s worth it!
It came to me as I was randomly ruminating… it’s been a long time since I was that young, insecure girl. I had fun then, and was fairly free (no kids!). I could do what I wanted, really… but I spent my time waiting. Waiting to figure out what I wanted. Waiting for the courage to step out one way or another. Waiting for a reason to be.
I’m much older now. I don’t have all the answers to life. I still make unwise decisions from time to time. I’m glad I got up all those years ago and finally decided to go to the U.K. (A spur of the moment decision – the travel agency had to courier my ticket to the airport, which I received while in line to check in for boarding, and I asked for a two year working holiday visa when I arrived at Heathrow, where they stamped me in without question… those were the days 😉 )
It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and a whole lot of good has come from it. It’s good to look back, sometimes. It’s better to recognise there’s a future.
1000 Fields of Roses 
good wisdom here!!!!