My five favourite monthly moments - January

 I work until New Year's Day but then I'm completely off. Barely check emails. We travelled to Japan, and then return to summer and the Festival of Sydney. So it's lazy days and theatre and art.

Plus good food and friends.

I will be writing more on some of these so I'll try to keep it brief.

1. Squid Games - I had so much fun. It felt so good, the invigorating affect of play. Bonding with friends, nervously laughing, visual and emotional stimulation. I loved it all. I'm dragging the kids to do it with me for my birthday. Just need to find a time that works for everyone.

2. Hiroshima. I've not stopped thinking about two things. Firstly, that we learn history as static events, that the bomb dropped and the war ended. But it didn't end. The deaths dragged out for decades with terrible illnesses as a result. The mental disorders and way of thinking changed for many if not all the survivors. While I understand what lead to the events, and I'm not saying the Japanese were innocent victims but I do question how you come back from that event? How do they not hate Americans? I am in awe that they turned the ill feeling into a positive fight for peace?  (Note I'm not saying they should hate Americans but it would be understandable if they did. If a nation killed all your family and friends, would you forgive them?)

#AwwMondays

As a place to visit, it's a very sobering city, but Miyajima is pretty and charming and absolutely one of the highlights of Japan. 

3. The theme parks with the kids. I drew the short straw (but also the long straw to get special time with my youngest so Schrodinger's straw, I guess) and we hit two theme parks and the Nintendo Museum in Japan. It meant we played together, laughed excitedly together and bonded in ways that get harder to make happen, as they grow up with their own lives. We gave our youngest another 'family' holiday - time with her older sibling. It's harder to make that happen but gives me great joy when it does. See point 1.

4. Hakone Open Air Museum - I've wanted to visit it for so long, since seeing a friend's travel photo on facebook maybe a decade ago. It did not disappoint. The art is beautiful but the location and setting is also part of it. We had a think snowflakes falling but they didn't stick to us. So the beauty and excitement of snow without getting wet. Even the kids enjoyed it so again, another lovely day shared.

5. Seoul. We only had time to sleep and a few hours to explore but it is so rare to go somewhere new these day. A completely different culture and language you can't read, our roaming didn't work so we were back to maps and finding coffee shops with wifi to call ubers. We didn't really know the food so it was random picking (and all fabulous). Some of it was brilliant, some of it a disaster but that's also a good reminder of real travel (like the old days - and the disasters were our fault or traffic related).

So a strange mix this month but good lessons and reminders, lots to think about but also a very rewarding month emotionally.

How was yours?

My Insta has been in overdrive but it should settle down a bit now as I get back to work and routine. 

Linking with #WriteoftheMiddle #TravelTuesday #TalkaboutitTuesday #WeekendCoffeeShare #AnythingGoes

My favourite monthly moments - November

 

I had a great November, though quieter than normal.

1. Had a wonderful weekend away at Currawong. It's always so fun and relaxing. Can't wait until we're back there again in February!

2. Great nights out dancing with friends and my husband, and a few nights of laughs with comedians. Finally got to see one of my favourite authors and he didn't disappoint. Jon Ronson is ALWAYS entertaining, charming and interesting. 

3. My Hot Dub on the Harbour & Harbourlife weekend is one of my favourite of the year. Good times with great friends, and always happy but exhausted by the end of it.

4. The first of my Christmas parties. The Champagne club went further afield. Even though the weather didn't play nice, any time on the harbour is always lovely!

(Linking with #WOYP for the fabulous fried cauliflower with pomegranate and miso at Ripples Little Manly and  TforTuesday)

5. One of the kiddos birthday dinner meant we were all together again - and that's always a favourite moment and one kid had her formal, so there was excitement and fun around that. Its hard not to share the excitement of the 'lasts' as they grow up.

Not a massive month but plenty to smile about!

Any highlights for you?

Linking with #MFFMM and #WeekendCoffeeShare #TrafficJamReboot

#WaterThursday #MySundaySnapShot #TravelTuesday #WednesdayAroundtheWorld

My Insta is here if you want to follow along. I am probably moving off Twitter but NOT moving to BlueSky. Just getting my time back....

My Five Favourite Monthly Moments - October

 It's been a pretty amazing month so narrowing it down to 5 is hard - my Singapore trip was technically September so I can't count that, as great as many things were there.

In no order, here we go:

1. Swimming with Whales. It was the most amazing experience. Hard to put into words the excitement and awe being so close to these massive creatures. The most beautiful moment was when they were under us about to come to the surface and the light was shining off their white bellies against the deep navy blue of the lower ocean. I haven't been able to stop watching the reels daily from Moorea Expedition, to keep reliving that memory. Unfortunately that below is the only whale photo I got - just the spout in the distance....zoomed in at breakfast one morning.

2. My visit to Piha beach. After a month of travelling with others, I went to NZ solo and the luxury of going straight from the airport to Piha beach and doing the walk to the falls and then stomping around the beautiful black beach in the exhilarating cold wind felt like such freedom. No one to consider, just revelling in the beauty for as long as I wanted. (The downside of course was I didn't stay until sunset as I didn't want to do that dark, windy drive by myself - though it was so cloudy I doubt it would ahve been much of a sunset).

3. One of my favourite DJs, Sam Feldt, came out so I met a couple of friends at Ivy to see him. The late start time worked well for me as I had a 60th birthday on the same night. Dinner was over and everyone was heading home so I could go straight to the club before he's midnight start. Unfortunately it was the same day my husband did a relay that meant he was up at 4.30, so I was very tired....but once the music started, I was there! We had the best night, and left the club elated - that happiness hang over the next day. So I was on a joyful high the next day....

Note, some scantily clad women or shirtless men so maybe not suitable for work but nothing rude.  

4. As always, Halloween is this month and while more subdued due to exams, my youngest wanted the house decorated and would spend an hour trick or treating....(Really just treating, right?) So a lot of happiness found in memories past as I dug out all the decorations....and greeted little kids - I enjoy seeing their costumes or their reaction to mine...

5. I spent this month seeing great art, great sights around the world, going to the theatre and many gigs. I've caught up with a lot of friends over dinners. There's really too much to narrow down the last one, so I'm just going to say the WHOLE of October has been my favourite moments! My Insta makes me burst into a huge grin every time I look at it! 

Linking with #TrafficJamReboot #WaterThursday #WWWhimsy #HappyNow #MFFMM and #SeniorSalonPitstop