A Sydney Walk

 Last week, before all this rain, I was going to the Ensemble theatre, but as I hadn't had much time to exercise, I decided to walk from Circular Quay. For those overseas, this takes you through the historic Rocks area and over the Harbour Bridge. 

The Lunar New Year was in full swing and they were gearing up for Valentine's Day too.

It's an easy and interesting walk with lots to see along the way.

 It was refreshing to walk along different streets and in a world of people as if life was normal.

Google maps underestimated the walk time so I had plenty of time for a lychee martini before the show. My friends coming by car were also early so I even managed to squeeze in a second one!

It really lifted my mood and re-energized me.

Often the journey is as enjoyable as the destination!

Linking with #Nanahood #ThruMyLens #FridayBliss #HappyTuesday #WednesdayWithoutWords #MCoW #TravelTuesday #WednesdayAroundtheWorld 

And so it goes...

 I managed to get my two walks in this week but the rain has really put a stop to everything else. It is wearing a bit thin. We were meant to have a day on the harbour tomorrow but I'm thinking we'll have to cancel it. It's so disappointing. And the forecast is the same well into next week. 

So the cancellations continue, for one reason or another, and my mood needs more work to stay buoyant. 

And so it goes....

Linking with #PictorialTuesday

“Don’t fear the storm, for the rainbow’s never far behind.” - Jamie Worthington

GRATITUDE:  I've been having a rough time of late and the overall result is I'm losing some of my resilience. I went out to dinner with some friends I hadn't seen since mid-December and one of them just looked at me and said "You don't look like your usual self. Is everything ok?" I did have that  moment in "This is How" when I thought "OMG, is it coming out my face?!?!?" Anyway, I had a really lovely night with friends and came out of the restaurant feeling relaxed and recharged. I told my husband that it was just what I needed. So I am grateful to have friends that have such a beneficial effect on me, and hope I offer the same to them.

LOVE:  I'm really enjoying Inventing Anna (and had to go on a google fest to stalk the real people involved. I find it weirdly fascinating).  How did people be so careless with so much money? And I thought it was interesting how many people in the show were also on fraud charges. Birds of a feather, I guess...

HEALTH: Trying to get back on my cholesterol diet, and exercise more to exorcise the stress demons.

CONNECTION: Had a family dinner that my eldest came home for. I love having her around and I love watching her siblings love having her around. We all miss her. It's good to see and feel that connection. She's like a celebrity guest. Everyone is excited and animated to tell her things.

APPRECIATION: The sunny days when we have them. The weather has been SO weird lately!

CARE:  Just got to really be strict on exercise and not put myself in stressful situations, as I just don't have the bandwidth for it at the moment. Need to get myself back to a less fragile state, or back to normal. Want to get back to exercising out in pretty spaces, as it really uplifts my spirits. Hopefully now with dancing back on the cards, I can get a bit of that high energy too. I think lockdown has messed with me much more than I realised. 

Linking with  #Itsasnap 

Blink of an eye

I have mentioned before my recycling on the fence, and the regulars that come past and chat. I was putting out the toys the other morning and this woman I didn't recognise said hello as if she knew me. I was a little confused at first, and then realised she was missing her shadow. She was usually followed by a little preschooler, more of a feisty toddler with whom she would argue kindly to 'just take ONE thing'.

It suddenly occurred to me, that in lockdown, that little girl had grown up. She was now in kindergarten! I commented as much and we lamented how the little one's lives flashed by in a blink of an eye. It really hit home to me how much time the last two years of lockdowns had stolen. Especially from our 10 -25-year-olds.

We chatted for a bit more and parted. Two mothers at very different stages of their parenting life but bonded by the same love and longing for the precious, fleeting moments of childhood. 

Linking with #TrafficJamWeekend #UnlimitedLinkParty  #LinkUpPotPourri #FriendshipFriday

The reward of beauty

For Valentine's Day, I picked up a meal box from Botanic House to have with the family at home. Botanic House is in the centre of the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens. An easy park then stroll through the glorious gardens was just what I needed to lift my spirits.

While ordering a meal box is not something I'd regularly do anymore, I do need to find time to get to the Gardens a bit more. It was so lovely. 

While the Bay Run is good for ease and speed, the change of scenery is very uplifting, as it engages the brain in a different way.

It was lovely to see all the flowers in bloom on a sunny day. A world away from my normal universe. 

The waterlillies were in full bloom and glorious.

Linking with #Allseasons  #DND #GardenAffair #FridayBliss 

Share Four Somethings - February

Something Loved: The Lunar New Year. I think it's my favorite celebration. 12 nights (14?) of fun: free shows, decorated streets, performances, good food and gathering with friends. even in Covid times, I got out and about a fair bit. We had a sensational dumpling box put together from a number of different restaurants. Magnificent. Mind you, now we have to wait another 12 months. 

Something Gleaned: I learnt that saying 'The Ukraine' is not only incorrect but actually politically incorrect, as it diminishes their independence. There is geopolitical history wrapped up in that tiny article.

Something Braved: I don't think I've done anything particularly noteworthy. My Torschlusspanik list has stalled with the lockdowns. Maybe I need to get back into crossing those off and adding to it?

Something Achieved: I've not achieved very much - writing has stalled, I'm still taking longer to do work tasks than it should. I have started doing the Bay Run again, and quite quickly (for a walker) so I'll take that as an achievement - beginning to get my fitness back up.

A very short post for what has been quite a fun month. 

Linking with #ShareFourSomethings. #UnlimitedLinkUpParty #KeithsRamblings #RubyTuesdayToo #25anddone #ThruMyLens #TheRandom