Reflecting On The Journey

Feels like I’m climbing out of the (not so fun) side quest that our life has been lately…
We went out to the shops today, just to see if we could. Went pretty well overall, although a bit tiring. I wore my mask (still unsure if I’m broadcasting germs – I don’t think so, but don’t want to risk sharing to the general public). It co-ordinated nicely with what I was wearing 😀
I’ve been catching up with online classes today, and probably tomorrow. Otherwise, I’ve been ensconcing myself in my comfy reading nest.

…with my coffee at my side, and a lovely breeze through the windows.

Because we’ve been out of action for so long, it feels like we’ve stepped out of the flow of life for a bit. A bit disorientating – it probably doesn’t help that lately it seems like the world has spun off its axis in some ways!
We’ll be back. And moving forward.
Here’s a song to help settle the existential swirl.

Looking at my calendar, I see that it’s been just over three months (thirteen weeks) since we first heard that we had to leave the previous house. It’s been an eventful few months! A lot of changes, and a bit of uncertainty as to where we were headed. Some things are still up in the air.
Time to fly!
❤

Published in: on September 24, 2025 at 10:39 pm  Leave a Comment  
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It’s The Little Things…

Another week of rest and recuperation…
I’ve been up and about more, though 🙂
Did some organising in the art room, which included excavating some tiny things from a soapstone box that I haven’t really seen for years!
Lots of little trinkets – finally figured out what to do with the glass beads I brought back from Venice, many years ago.

It’s a bit difficult to focus properly when there’s glass around, and not much space to maneuver. They’re prettier than they look…
There were shells at the top of the box. I’m pretty sure I picked at least some of them off the beach. Possibly all?

We (briefly) ventured out on Monday. It was our anniversary, so we popped out (suitably masked) to the local bakery.

I celebrated with a lemon meringue tart, and half a vanilla slice.

Next week should see us slowly getting back into gear.
There are things to do! Places to be!
And a song to share, which seemed to fit the “breaking back out into life” vibe.

Dolly always makes me smile.
❤

Published in: on September 20, 2025 at 11:20 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Night Vision

I was trying to take photos of the shadow shapes in my art room the other night.
It didn’t start too well.
I’d thought that the street light coming from outside would be enough for me to just use the default setting, but I found it hard to keep still enough to focus, and there was an overall fuzzy feeling.

So I tried the “night” setting.
I’ve used it before – mostly for trying to capture the moon – but it’s always felt a bit disappointing. And it also requires a steady hand.
Surprise! 😀

Not only did it sharpen the shadow lines, it also picked out light that I hadn’t seen with my eyes.

There was more colour than would seem likely in a night composition.

A delightful serendipity, with sparkles!

I don’t know how it does it.
Difference in timing? Focus?
But I’m glad there’s a way to get a better picture.

This week, for our family, has been one of bed rest and coughing. We’re all at different stages of some sort of flu, and we all tend to deal with it by secluding ourselves with misery and tissues…

I had intended to write this on any one of the last three days, but I just couldn’t make the words work.
Today, I felt cheerful, for the first time in a while. Like coming out from under a heavy grey cloud, or finding a bright warm path after being enshrouded by mist.
We all have seemed to be in a better state today. We had to do an online Coles order (nobody here is likely to go outside the house for a bit), so the boys were hovering to give their lists. Tendency to forgetfulness, foggy minds, and random fits of coughing also led to (slightly fevered) giggling and a lovely family moment ❤

This world has been a bit too foggy lately.
Darkness gathering, and sometimes difficulty in discerning just where the shadows fall.
But the light shone in for today. A bit of clarity for the journey.
Maybe it’s the timing.
Or maybe just focusing with a different lens…

Published in: on September 13, 2025 at 9:32 pm  Leave a Comment  

Lavender In My Coffee

My art room is looking good!
Everything is…somewhere…


I’ll look at it again tomorrow and reassess – it all looked good today, but I’ll check practicality after I’ve had a sleep…

I read somewhere that interior design shouldn’t have too many colours, or perhaps have one bolder colour as a focus, surrounded by neutrals.

I don’t really do that.

You could say that the chair cover’s neutral?

I also like things with faces…

😀

These last couple of days I’ve been taking it easy, after a day in town on Tuesday.
I ended up carrying too much (lots of books – yay!), so I’ve been a bit achey since. I took the bus home – my first time on this route.
And I started my morning with coffee and cake.
GF orange and almond slice…

…and a “lavender latte”. It was basically a latte with lavender syrup. Should have had lavender cream on top, but they’d run out. Still nice, though.
Very lavendery.

Sweet!
❤

Published in: on September 4, 2025 at 11:08 pm  Leave a Comment  

Lighter

I think I’ve said this for at least the last three posts. I’m nearly there with the unpacking/sorting where things go.
It’s just that each time I’ve thought that, another box appeared…

There’s been a sequence that I’ve had to follow, and we needed certain bits of furniture to follow it.
But now – we have a linen cupboard!
Yay!!
And we gave most of the flat-packed boxes away today, so I can sort that part of the house.
Just a few things left to do 😆

We’ve been here nearly a month now.
I’m getting in to a rhythm of days, exploring ways to get the best out of my art room 🙂
Even with the organising – lifting, sorting, pushing stuff into place – I’ve been able to have interludes with a cup of coffee, in my comfy chair, in front of the open window.
Feeling the breeze.
Listening to the cars swishing past.
The birds squawking and chattering.
And enjoying the lightness that comes from a good day’s work.

And still, there are rainbows.
Miniature ornaments.

And maybe even an invitation to a snail’s tea party!
❤

Published in: on August 30, 2025 at 11:05 pm  Leave a Comment  

Rainbows On The Wall

…and also on my chair! 🙂

Most of the big things are in place now, and the big boxes unpacked.
I’m pottering around now, trying to remember where things went before, or where they can fit with the new layout of furniture.
I have a lot of little knick-knacks.
Some have been arranged on various surfaces, some are attached to door handles.

My skeleton is brooding over the room from on top of my glass-fronted cabinet (the ceilings here are so much higher!!)

I’ve got a number of crystal things dangling from hooks and curtain supports.
The biggest of these surprised me with a splash of rainbow on the wall (yes, I should have expected it! 🙂 )
It made a faceted pattern on the blinds.

And…rainbows!

❤

Published in: on August 27, 2025 at 11:30 pm  Leave a Comment  

Shaping Up

We’re pretty much there.

A box here and there to sort.
A few wardrobe/cupboards to buy and fill.
And some bits that will wait a bit longer to go in a glass case (which is not as high a priority as other things, so who knows when that will happen?)

It’s been quite a few years since we’ve had this up.

Who are those young things? 😆

I took this photo a few days ago, but it gives an idea of our space.

We’re hoping to sort out most of our storage tomorrow, which leaves one (linen) cupboard to get. It needs to be 60cm wide, and enough space in shelves for duvets and blankets, which makes it harder to find.
Of course, all this searching needs a coffee (hot chocolate?) break.

❤

And we were only provided with three sets of keys, so I thought I’d go bright with my set.

😀

My art room is the last place for me to tackle.
I can see the shape of it – I can see me working there!

And I will.
Soon.
❤

Published in: on August 22, 2025 at 10:37 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Settling In The Library

At least that’s what it feels like sitting in our lounge!

The sofas are in place.
Still some boxes to do, but they shouldn’t take long.
We’ve been here two weeks today. It’s nice 😀

I feel “at home” – at least inside the house.
Still have some cupboards/wardrobes to get. Apart from the kitchen (lots of built-in cupboards and a walk in pantry!) there are no storage spaces, unless you count the (very) slimline bathroom wall cabinets. Which I’m not.

I have still to prowl round the back yard properly.
The plants are lined up by the shed.

And each day the sun rises.
And the sun sets.

And I am home.
❤

Published in: on August 16, 2025 at 10:57 pm  Leave a Comment  

How The Dust Settles

The sofas are in place, and most of the bookcases.
We just have to wend our way around various boxes to get to them.

It’s been a good week.
A tiring one.
But good.

I had an unexpected trip on Monday, and banged my head against the back door. No big deal, really, but it’s slowed me down a bit. We also woke up yesterday to the rain coming in through the entryway roof, but that was speedily resolved by a call to the real estate agents and a visit from the plumbers. The entryway light bulb doesn’t strobe now, so that’s a bonus! 😀

We’re steadily getting the hang of this place.
The bedrooms are carpeted – something that we haven’t had for a while – so I’m waiting to see if it attracts dust. Haven’t noticed it happening so far.
I’ve got up to date with our washing (and you know you’re getting older when that makes you feel both excited and accomplished…), but the boys – not so much. This has meant they’ve both had occasion to improvise when going into the outside world – one wore pyjama trousers to pick up stuff from Target, and the other wore a full length dressing gown to Coles. They’ve worked hard putting furniture together and in place, though, and the dishes have all been washed ❤

It’s a bigger space here. And we’re in a part of town we’ve not lived in before. Lots to see and get used to!
Here’s the view outside my bedroom window.

There’s a shed outside, and the (flat) roof is just under our window.
There are heaps of leaves dotted about on it, and a pair of plovers seem to be frequent visitors. Here’s one of them.

Maybe they’ve decided to set up home there?

It’s been a good week.
Managed to enjoy a cuppa out, amongst the greenery.

A good week – but tiring.
Time to have a rest.
❤

Published in: on August 9, 2025 at 9:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Beautiful

I am clean, warm, and in my jarmies.
Beautiful.

It’s been a big day, and there’s a fair bit more left to do (cleaning the old place, and emptying boxes into their respective habitats), but I’ve unearthed my laptop from its padded bag, and here I am! ❤

Fresh, clean sheets 😀

We got stuff done more quickly than we thought we could (because we have amazing friends! ❤ )
Boxes seemed to gallop to the truck.
Somehow, my bedside table grew antlers…

And everything’s a bit topsy-turvy…
but the big, heavy stuff is mostly where it should be.
We had a good time talking, as well as working.
The sun (mostly) shone on our endeavours.

And now – we’re home!

Beautiful.
🙂

Published in: on August 2, 2025 at 8:55 pm  Leave a Comment  
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