Journeying Back To Forwards

On this wet, grey day, I will look back on my day out on Tuesday (also wettish, but interspersed with sunlight). I had decided to visit some of my old haunts, something I’ve done a couple of times since we came back to Australia sixteen years ago.
It’s never the same. The places I remember were colourful, eclectic, full of people… the places I encountered were quiet and mostly devoted to commercial blandness. There were a few bright spots, but the old places seem to have aged along with me! I enjoyed going back, and was happy to have my coffee and remember…

I travelled further than I thought I’d have the energy for. Made up for it yesterday with a very un-energetic day…
Took the train to the Valley, then the “buz” to New Farm.

Sunlight through the trees…

Treated myself to a scarf from the RSPCA shop with some of my birthday money – pink butterflies, which seemed appropriate. Had an iced coffee at the New Farm Deli, but didn’t linger… got on the bus to the ferry terminal, but got off just before so I could walk down Hazlewood Street, where I used to live. This is where I found my favourite “gift” to myself – a polished stone of green and pink, found on the footpath in the long grass, not far from where my old house used to be.

You can’t really see the colours here… this is my scarf, and a sleep mask as well 🙂
Here’s a bit of my walk… I had to pick up some frangipani flowers as well along the way for my hair and buttonhole.

Enjoyed the ferry, although it’s a very short journey. The ferry attendant was quite cheerful, as well!

On my way to the Mall I stopped at St Stephen’s Cathedral to have a look.

I was just in time for the start of mass, so stayed for that. I hadn’t realised that I needed a service sheet, so I had no idea what the responses were. It was quite echoey as well, so I couldn’t hear very well. If I concentrated, though, on the readings, I could hear them – probably because it was one voice rather than many. It was the feast day for St Agatha on Tuesday, and there were also prayers said for the people of Townsville.

I didn’t spend long in the Mall, so there was time to stop at Milton on the way home. Had a cappucino at La Dolce Vita, which also seems quite different to my memories of 25 years ago… the mini Eiffel Tower is still there (the metal outside the window).

It rained fairly heavily while I had my coffee, so I lingered a bit longer than I thought I would. Still got back on the train early enough to go in to Ipswich to look around before going home. A good day, all in all… enjoyed visiting the past for a bit, but it’s back to walking forward now!