Summer holidays

Happy new year! I had intended to write several posts before this one, one summing up last year, one about my thoughts for the new year and maybe even a recipe post.....but then the above happened. Summer holidays!!! We were fortunate that Matt could take two weeks off following christmas and that the weather has been pretty good for January in Tasmania. Even the water has been warmish and perfect for refreshing swims. We tried to have a mix of slow days, beach days and outings to Mona and Cygnet as well as a get a few home projects done. It has been a good combination and I'm a little sad it's over, but we will make the most of the weekends and long weekends coming up!

The last few weeks in 2015 were tough, but overall it was the most amazing year, certainly one like no other and it flew by so quickly. I know everyone says that happens with babies but I really didn't anticipate just how true that would be. We learnt a lot about Elroy (he is a very happy and content boy) about ourselves, and about the value of sleep (and yet we are still really bad at going to bed at a reasonable time), oh and the value of listening to your body and going to the doctor (I was diagnosed with Graves disease). I felt sad to say goodbye to 2105, to the opportunity to stay home from work and care for Elroy but I know this year will be just as amazing. We will celebrate a first birthday, so many more achievements and milestones for Elroy, I will return part time to the workforce, and all going to plan commence (and hopefully finish) our house renovations!! I am soooo excited about this one!

Lets hope 2016 is happy and productive!

2014

Happy 2014! I am so glad it is a new year and I hope that it will be a good one. While I am generally not a big resolution person, last year was a hard slog and was very work oriented, so in 2014 I want to be very conscious of making changes and making things happen outside work, so that I don't slip right back into that space again. One thing I do intend to do is blog and photograph more as I recently got a new camera (the 5D mark III - which is exciting but also at the moment a complete mystery to me) oh and perhaps do some more craft.

We were fortunate enough to have 16 days off over the break and our christmas was in two parts, a nice evening dinner with my family on the friday before christmas, then we travelled to Matt's family in Coffs Harbour for a week, before heading back down to Sydney for a few days via Newcastle for a night. I've never travelled at this time of year before and I have to say it was such a good idea, we were able to take Jerry to to the beach in Coffs everyday (yes we are crazy to take the dog on holidays, but it was nice for everyone to meet him and it was a bit of a one off), go for a few lunches and explore beautiful places, relax and then at the end hang out in the city. We also had a few days to spend at home which was nice. Feels like the break covered all bases, and I'm in a much better headspace than I was in early December. So bring on a happy 2014!

easter break and march instagram pics

Oh easter break, I normally dislike you for being a boring break where I start to go a little nutty, but this year I needed you very badly and it has been so wonderful. We mostly stayed home and have painted, and painted but finally the bedroom is done and looking much much better. Besides that there's been chocolate consuming (naturally), lots of music, easy dinners, and house cleaning today. Ok that maybe does sound a little boring but I feel like progress has been made.

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It's funny, I want to post here but lately don't really know what to write about. Bloggers block? Sometimes I think my everyday life events aren't really blog-worthy.

This week is a week I've been waiting for, Sigur Ros on thursday night, Radiohead on friday night and a bit of a break off this island. Two of my all time favourite bands in two nights, in two different cities, may be slightly overwhelming but definitely exciting. Does anyone have any tips for things to do in Adelaide? It's a bit of a mystery to me. Plus I am looking forward to visiting the new Marimekko store in Melbourne, I visited one of their stores when I was in Sweden last year but was so conscious of luggage weights that I really was quite restrained, not so much this time!

Pics are a few from around the house, I'm still working out the light here, haven't quite sussed it out yet, but when I do I'll post some more.

Long Weekend - Marrawah

A few more shots from the weekend, we took a little drive to Marrawah, wow that place is so incredibly beautiful. You may or may not know that I love green and seeing those hills with the ocean and trees like that...kinda blew me away.

Long Weekend - Stanley

We headed off to the north west coast of Tasmania on friday for the long weekend and I loved it, it is so beautiful up there, all green and beautiful big landscapes, quite different to the scenery I am used to in the south. Admittedly the weather was pretty amazing for winter, perfect blue skies and sunshine and possibly an extra few minutes of daylight (it truly does seem to make a difference), but it was wonderful in every other way too. I am realising that there are so many places in my home state I don't know at all and think maybe more holidays at home are in order for the future.

End of the Break

I have realised that I am actually quite bad at having holidays at home, it takes me ages to feel relaxed and know what to do....or more to the point how to just settle into doing not very much at all. I don't think I got to this point until saturday, a whole week into the break and now tomorrow is back to work and I feel a bit duped! It has been nice though, mostly hanging around home, cooked a really good paella, actually enjoyed going to the Taste of Tasmania for the fist time in years, had a great new years eve with friends (I made those primrose bakery cupcakes again - definitely the best recipe!) and had a picnic lunch at the beach today, oh and got to put my calendar from Rifle Designs up, I've wanted one of those for ages!

Midnight in Paris

I saw Midnight in Paris tonight, which I have been looking forward to seeing ever since I saw the posters for it while I was actually in Paris earlier this year. It made me want to go back, but really not to the touristy parts, more to just be able to wander and take pictures and eat at small interesting places and imagine what it would be like to live in those building with the beautiful roofs. I liked the film too after the first part, it was nicely quirky, Hemingway and Dali were good, Picasso less convincing. I have to say I didn't realise they were going to be characters in the film, but that was cool.



oh and by the way Sam has updated the Island Menu site and I think it looks great, plus we have a new Gallery section.

last days of 2010

Only one day left of 2010, I sort of can't get my head around that, the year has gone so fast. I'm not the sort of person to make a big deal about a new year but I think I'm looking forward to this one, I turn 30 (eep!) and have a trip to Europe planned, I'm getting my first car (double eep!) and mostly I just want to have fun and laugh a lot.

Having this week off has been so great, today I saw Somewhere which I loved. I've also been on a road trip to Launceston (the three shops I wanted to visit were all closed!) and Evandale (where I regret not buying a lovely marimekko tea towel that was on sale), made iced vo vo's (who knew there was a recipe for them) and nearly finished knitting a scarf, plus we've even had some sunshine.

The past few years that I've blogged I've posted my top ten albums (or songs of the year) and in keeping with that tradition here they are:

1. Go - Jonsi
This has been the year of Jonsi, seeing him play only made me more taken with this album, can't really explain it but it's perfectly upbeat and quiet and beautiful all at the same time.

2. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
James Mercer has such a great voice and it goes perfectly with Danger Mouse. The last track Mall and Misery is the best.

3. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
ooh Damon Albarn!! plus some snoop dogg, the boys from the clash and bobby womak. The lyric 'it's a casio on a plastic beach' nice!

4. High Violet - The National
This is a great album, they are playing in my home state tonight and I am missing them sadly, I think they would be so great live.

5. The XX - The XX
I know technically this came out last year but I only listened to it this year, it's a sweet album it got a big run in winter while I was knitting.

6. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix
Again I know this was last year but it's had a fair run this year too, an album that you want to dance to. Always a very good thing!

7. I Speak Because I Can - Laura Marling
If my 16 year old self had heard me listening to this there would have been gaging noises, so I think it's a sign I'm getting older, but they are good songs and goodbye england (covered in snow) is beautiful.

8. Total Life Forever - Foals
Another album that makes me want to dance, best listened to with a few drinks I think!

9. Go Quiet - Jonsi
refer no 1. This is the acoustic slow version of the album, it's pretty amazing!

10. Def Surrounds Us - DJ Shadow
ok not technically an album, just two songs they are so unlike his old style but fun nontheless, also Z trip's set that you can stream here I listened to this a lot.

Love to hear what your top albums of the year were!

I hope everyone had a lovely day, mine was very enjoyable with some wonderful food. Now I'm on holidays and at a bit of a loose end, I'm sure that feeling will only last a day before I get into the rhythm of it!

Sydney + Melbourne

I've had this week off work and spent some time in Sydney and Melbourne for a bit of a break, it was great and much needed, ate at some great places (bills, the european and grossi florentino), wandered along oxford street and into woollahra, scored some treasures at Donna Hay and Dinosaur Designs and felt rather overwhelmed by lovely things at Empire Vintage. It's a pity it's over now, but my next trip will be europe at easter!!