December wrap up ...... the month that was

Christmas has come and gone, and I am a little bit sad. I have a definite nostalgia for Christmas. I love the lead up to Christmas Day. Every year I put up the tree, and decorate (admittedly, in a rudimentary way). I walk around the stores and streets and admire the lights and decorations. I like the individual efforts of residents who put lights in the front of their homes.

It's only when I am in a hurry and trying to dash into the shops for bread and milk that I get annoyed at the season - the impossibly long queues and a shortage of parking. And I hear too many stories of people completely stressed out rushing about "getting ready", feeling obliged to max out their credit cards and excessively buy presents that are usually not needed by the receiver. (But enough said, this is hardly an original sentiment). Apart from the shopping side of things, I love the season for the memories I have as a child of great family Christmasses, and for the anticipation in the air and the goodwill that seems to be in greater supply this time of year.

Today I'll take the tree down, and I'm reflecting on the past two weeks.




Christmas Eve we had drinks at RM's place. R had organised a 9 litre magnum of champagne. The warm evening was a good backdrop for chilled champagne and sushi. As the evening went on, more and more bottles appeared and everyone got a little more mellow over time.

Christmas Day itself was lovely. It was a fairly quiet one in the morning as J and I opened presents in my apartment. But the day rapidly became more festive with a visit to the cousins in the afternoon for a late lunch.

My relatives are fantastic cooks, and surprise, surprise, there was an abundance of food. While we had traditional Aussie Christmas fare like prawns and ham, we also enjoyed chicken curry, glutinous rice with mushroom, fried rice, a Spanish dish with mince and eggs and a whole host of other delights.

On Boxing Day, J and I went to Mosman to see the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. We had a favourite picked, and periodically checked on her progress on the Yachtracker on the internet.

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Last Saturday, J and I went kayaking in Bundeena, a suburb about an hour south of Sydney and part of the Royal National Park. There were too many speedboats and jetskis for our liking (probably because of the holiday period) but otherwise a nice spot. We hired my kayak for 4-5 hours, but after about 3 hours as we were making our way back, the wind came up against us. So what was meant to be a leisurely paddle became very hard work, especially for me in my rented kayak that was shaped more like a bathtub. I was well and truly worn out at the end of the day!

APEC Stunt

Well, true to form, the boys from the Chasers War on Everything delivered. As a stunt, they dressed a motorcade with Canadian flags, and infiltrated the restricted area in the CBD locked down as part of the APEC security, getting past at least one police checkpoint. Julian Morrow was dressed as a security agent, and Chas Licciardello was dressed as Osama bin Laden. Police superintendent Ken McKay said "it wasn't funny". On the contrary, Ken, its hilarious. I chuckled all the way home. Good on you, boys.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/apec/chaser-team-charged/2007/09/06/1188783378804.html

Facebook

Had brunch with DR today (making use of my Monday off), and he extolled the virtues of Facebook. I'd been initiated into it a couple of weeks ago by BT, but not done much with it. So I went home today, and logged into my account and tweaked it. Now I think I may be hooked.

More Home Improvements

On Saturday, some blinds went up. And this time I succeeded in drilling and installing the brackets myself.

Home Improvements

Well, this month, the apartment has had a few adjustments, with the help of Mum and Dad providing some much-needed motivation and ideas. Uncle C came over and helped me put up a curtain rail and I replaced the vertical blinds in the bedroom with some nice blockout curtains, finally! A nice Ikea cabinet hides the shoes (Dad's suggestion, thanks Dad!)in the entrance and a few funky white wall shelves above the cabinet provide some extra places for photos to be displayed. The place is slowly coming together, with the help of Bunnings and Ikea - a homeowners' best friends.

Bridgeclimb!

Monday 13th August
I have often thought that the Sydney Harbour Bridgeclimb was a very touristy thing to do. But as J's parents are visiting, and his mother, H, really wanted to climb our city's iconic metal structure, I decided I'd come along. The three of us were booked in for the 10.55am tour on Monday morning, and were there bright and early in anticipation. While H was more worried about the climbing aspect, I was apprehensive about not being able to go to the bathroom for 3 and a half hours, and took precautions - I didn't drink for a couple of hours before. J was relaxed and looking forward to it.

An hour long safety briefing (including getting us kitted in our grey jumpsuits with everything (fleece, glasses etc attached to us). Then we were out and onto the bridge. Our climb leader, Matt was friendly and helpful. No one was rushed along, which was good as after a while, our legs felt the toll of all the climbing. Lots of photo ops. But they don't let you bring your own camera. Matt took pictures of us in at various points, designed to allow for a variety of backdrops. All in all, we enjoyed fantastic views, and the experience of being on top of the city, made it an entirely worthwhile expedition, even for resident Sydneysiders!

The Meeting

Tuesday 7th May
Well, so tonight the two sets of parents met, over tender steaks (wagyu beef, and Angus rump steaks) in Kingsleys Steakhouse in Lime St. Great food, and attentive service. A decent drop of wine too. The views of Darling Harbour were a bonus. The two mothers talked at length about travel experiences, while the two dads were quieter and tucked into their meals. The evening passed without awkward silences, no one brought up taboo subjects and neither mother disclosed embarrassing childhood stories of their respective offspring. So all in all, a pleasant and successful evening. Whew!

Parents visiting

Only a couple of hours before Mum and Dad arrive. The place has never been subjected to so much cleaning in such a short space of time! And in a few days, Mum and Dad will meet J, and then J's parents. Nervewrecking stuff!! Stay posted.

Melancholia

Sometimes I think, as I did today, "What is the point of it all?" We work our guts out, and to what end? We don't have enough time to enjoy the money we earn, and if we opt out of the ratrace, we run the risk of worrying about having financial stability and security. I think of that old British comedy "The Good Life" in which the main characters decide the main breadwinner of the household will resign and they'll grow vegetables in their suburban garden. One side of me applauds them, "Good on them!" The cynical side of me thinks, "well, that's fine for them, since they don't have children to support" (which brings me to my next topic, see below). An old school friend of mine, FF, has recently decided to quit the safe 9 to 5 job and pursue a fulltime career in photography, a decison I really admire. Perhaps I'm just envious I don't have that level of conviction!

Maybe I'm having these thoughts because GF rang today and asked if I wanted to sail for 5 days at the end of August, bringing a yacht down from Queensland. My first thought was "Brilliant" followed quickly by "Can I afford the time off?". Even as I ruminated, my feet were itching for saltwater and I could taste the sea air.

Children. I had a bite with some colleagues the other night. Four women, and none of us have children. One bemoaned the fact that once friends have babies, it changes everything. Those friends then become out of circulation. As more and more of our respective circles have additions to their families, it becomes harder and harder to find a mate who'll come out for a drink on a Saturday night, or do the Sydney Film Festival or go for a bike ride on a Sunday afternoon. Don't get me wrong, (this addressed to my friends who have children), I think your kids are gorgeous. I think the things they say are adorable. I'm thrilled for each and everyone of you at the news of a pregnancy. And of course we understand children change everything, and its not just possible to drop everything and go to the movies at the drop of a hat. But then, what's a childless gal to do?????

I think I've found my own answer: Go sailing off the Queensland coast for 5 days.

Ants in My Sleeping Bag

Saturday 12th May
J and I went camping at The Basin campground in Pittwater on Saturday night. It's the perfect place for a quick getaway. Only about an hour from the CBD, and accessible by Palm Beach Ferry or a 2.85km walk, which is long enough trek to deter carboot campers. Add a steep slope leading to the campsite and it means that its not likely to be overrun with campers. But with drinking water available, and a toilet and shower block (ok, so cold showers only), it's luxury by camping standards. Home comforts featured in our meals too. We feasted on couscous and Thai chicken curry for dinner. Breakfast the next morning consisted of bacon and eggs on English muffins, and coffee.

The campsite backs onto a hill, and on the other side, its framed by the water. At night, looking up at the stars, you feel a million miles from the city. You fall asleep listening to the faint sound of waves. Definitely worth another visit soon.