Crocodile and Alligators

Stopped at the Australian Reptile Park as I'd sponsored a Dragon and had a free pass to visit. A lot has changed since I was last there. It's a great way to see the animal up close (and feed some furry ones too).

 

It was unseasonably cold so there was little action from the reptiles but the cassowary and varieties of roos and echidnas were all up for action....

So just a reminder that if you are going, pick a hot day if you can....(and easy viewing sight lines for kids in prams)

Super short and sweet for  #DND #SaturdaysCritters  #WWOT #WWOAT #KeithsRamblings #WordlessWednesday and #PictorialPotPourri

My year in review

It's been a pretty tough year for me. A lot of negative stuff going on. So when I was given this Gin from a friend, I thought it was possibly the most perfect present for me. And 100% my vibes.

However, when I scroll back on my Instagram, my visual diary and happy place, it's been a pretty sensational year too. I'm not going to apologise for my artistic highlight reel (I don't get BeReal - I can just look at my own BeReal out my own eyeballs, and it bores me so why would anyone else want to see it? Except Pierre Gasly's, I like his BeReal, what I've seen of it).

I digress. 2022 saw a beach holiday in Sydney, trip to Canberra, two trips to Newcastle and Hobart, Melbourne, Currawong, Narooma to swim with seals, Merimbula (for the magnificent Curtis Harding at Wanderer Festival) and a week on Lord Howe Island. It's been strange having only one kid in tow on holidays. 

Our eldest moved back in after a year and a bit out, just to regroup in the rental market but it's nice for everyone to have a full house again.

I saw plenty of bands, and much dancing in crowds which always makes me happy. VIVID returned. We had friends from the US and Greece came to visit. 

Plenty of art, theatre and fun. Parties were back on.

All in all, there's little to complain about when you look atthe good with the bad. It's a good reminder not to get bogged down in the heavy stuff. Go out of your house or simply out of your head.

So there will be a final #Allseasons that will remain open until the end of Jan.

#OneSmallThing is finished for the year and will return in Feb.

I wish you all much happiness (and good health) over the holiday break. 

Happy Whatever you celebrate.

Remember Christmas and time with family can be difficult and approximately one million Australians (4%) have an eating disrorder so no comments (postive or negative) on people's appearance or what they are eating. Make your gift to the people you love an enjoyable time spent together.

Remember your freinds who lost someone or divorced this year. This might be their first Christmas with that hole at the table. Don't forget to reach out, even if the loss was back in January.

Lastly, be kind to yourself (and the planet). It's a lot of fuss for one day, but none of it really matters. It happens regardless of how you celebrate it, and it's better without the stress.

I will be on Instagram over the hols.

Linking with  MakroTex #SundayBest #SkyWatch #MCoW #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #HeidisHeavenlyGaze

Very last Share Four Somethings Ever!

I have really enjoyed this link up, even though I struggle with the Achieved almost every month. The format and brevity (but covering broad subject matter at the same time) really made it a fun and enjoyable post to write. So thank you for the last two years (as I was a late comer) but I understand it's a lot of work and when it's no longer fun, it's time to put it to rest.

Something Loved: I've had great fun catching up with friends at Christmas parites - book clubs. mah jong group and Champagne Club all had get togethers this week, and much frivolity ensued. Also had a run of shows and bands so I'm on a good time high. Got Caribou tonight but then a few nights at home (though with the soccer in the mornings...Go Morocco!)*

*That's dated badly. Opps.

Linking with #FloralFridayFoto

Something Gleaned:  The phrase 'knocked up' came from slavery. The price of the enslaved woman was 'knocked up' by the auctioneer if pregnant, a sort of better value deal...writing that about people is quite horrifying really. All these things we know as 'history' but don't really think about properly until we do (as a white Australian).

Linking with#NaturesNotes & #WildbirdWednesday

Something Saved: This post on Gothic Tales by Wilde, Bradbury, Poe and Carol Joyce Oates. I want to work my way through them. 

#RubyTuesdayToo and #BlueMonday

Something Achieved: I'll be honest, I won't miss this prompt each month but I suspect it's been quite good for me to have to think about. I've managed to watch every 6 am game of the World Cup? I've managed to do 18 months worth of regularly linking up (unless i'm away) with Share Four Somethings? I hope to get the xmas shopping all done by next week? I know. I've written enough in this little prompt for the very last time!

Merry Christmas to you all, and thanks again for hosting such a lovely link up.

Sydney peeps, there are still tickets available here to the Sydney show at the metro for Furnace and the Fundamentals Christmas show.

Linking with #sharefoursomethings #MySundayBest and #KeithsRamblings #FriendshipFriday #TrafficJamWeekend #WordlessWednesday

What's on my bookshelf - December

For bookclub I read How to Find Love in a Bookshop which was really not my thing. An easy, junky rom-com read (with not a whole lot of com...)

I laboured through The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It has a great jacket and I enjoyed Daisy Jones but this one was too long and not interesting enough. Could have really opened up a conversation about Bi-erasure but I felt the book was (or the characters were?) a bit clunky in it's handling of the matter. And ultimately I just didn't care by the end. I really loved all that old Hollywood era so I think I should have liked it more. However, I'm pretty out of step on this and everyone I know recommends it, so probably just ignore my opinion.

I am currently listening to A kind of Magic. It's quite confronting and sad but at times funny. This is definitely not a book for everyone. I don't really know what I think of it yet. 

The book I loved - it is truly delightful - I stumbled across by accident. This is not a book about Benedict Cumberbatch is more than a book about weird celebrity crushes. It's about why women lose their sense of self, why women suddenly discover they don't have interested (or only acceptable interests - looking at you bookculbs!), sexism and so much more....It's hilarious, weird, kooky and fun - with a tiny bit of science and psychology thrown in. In one way I think the title is a genius hook and in another I think it's quite misleading and people who should read it won't. 

Very short for this month and away until February. So to my bookish friends, may the holidays grant you plenty of time to indulge in the pages of worlds imagined....

Linking with #WhatsonMyBookshelfchallenge #WeekendCoffeeShare #TrafficJamWeekend and #WonderfulWednesday #FriendshipFriday

The Christmas season

The signs of Christmas is everywhere - the streets and shops are decorated, the parties are in full swing and the 'traditions' in this house are beginning to happen. 

I had some spare time in the city before a show to stroll around Pitt St and Martin Place (which was having little xmas markets) before a show. It was nice to see the hive of activity in the city again.

It is clearly the Festive Season where ever you look!

Linking with #TravelTuesday (Sydney CBD decorations)

All Seasons is usually open from Friday through Wednesday 5pm, Sydney Time but due to the World Cup, this post is open for two weeks. 

Linking with #RubyTuesdayToo

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

And the winner is football....

Apologies to all I owe comments to - I will try to get there soon. I have been having too much fun watching too much soccer in the mornings (and in full xmas party swing at night!).

I was glad I watched the Aussies last game in a crowd - it did help to share those dashed hopes....I am right on the Moroccan bandwagon now. 

This made me really want to go to a World Cup (I do say that every year but I might actually put some effort into making it happen) 

 

 So if you asked what's making me happy, I guess I'd have to say being in the World Cup bubble - it's all I want to talk about and think about - it isn't, of course as I have some real life problems going on that are taking a lot of time, and a lot of Christmas parties, which are great fun and a lot of laughs and good times with friends. So there is stress but there is plenty of de-stress too.

And I guess, as we'll never get away with all good things in life at any one time, the goal is to try and make the good outweigh the bad...even if it's found on the tv!

What's the #OneSmallThing that made you happy this week?

This too will be a 2 week linky, and then there will be a final one before Christmas before shuting down for the holidays. Sorry I'm being such an irregular flip.

What's the #OneSmallThing that's made you happy this week?

Linking with #BlueMonday

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter