NEW YEAR'S EVE

Writing the heading was as far as i got last night, early to bed.  Now it's NEW YEAR'S DAY - i'm having a morning off swimming, staying in bed and catching up on a few things.  Like this neglected blog :0)

the past couple of weeks have been good, my trip up to Wentworth really set me up for Christmas, my mood has changed completely.  

It was great to get back in the water

    Joy - our resident mermaid - i'm sure she'd live fulltime in the water

    if she could :0)

Christmas was at Susan's again this year, it's always lovely there.  weather was predicted to be cold and very wet, but it cleared up and we were able to do our usual walk down around Eastern Beach although this year there were no big family groups down there for the day.  it's been too wet.

i'm getting back into swimming at sunrise, it's the best way to start the day and i'm working on my breathing.  I want to be able to swim to the second pole this year

we had a visit from a very big stingray, but it just glided away gracefully and left us alone :0)

SUNNY AND ETTA came for an overnight stay on the 28/29th -  a lovely time with fresh marinara papardelle cooked by sunny, an afternoon at the beach with bucket and spade. then next day i swam early before returning to the beach with sunny and etta - a perfect day with crystal clear water and so many lovely little craft out on the water.   back for a bbq lunch before they headed off.  beautiful time with them both.

YESTERDAY - a beautiful sun. the moon, gannets, pelicans, a walk and a swim.  A very nice new year's eve, i've been sewing clothes for myself, having a bit of a break from my book - but i'll get back into it soon.  and tidying up the studio is on the agenda.  Gardening today, new year's day.

i swam to the pole once but i'm preferring swimming 

parallel to the shore until i strengthen my swimming 

after a while away from the water.

RETURN TO WENTY

I HEADED OFF TO WENTY after my hospital stint - to recharge my batteries and catch up with dear friends.  I stayed with Sue and Derek in their terrific cottage next to the main house.  The week was full of dinners with old and new friends, i had a lot of time to wander around the neighbourhood, full of pomegranate and orange groves.  And I visited friends i haven't seen for ages.

I just love being there - the landscape, sky, vineyards and the wide open space of the outback, i just feel so at home there.

I stayed with Don in the Grampians on the way up and the way back. Claire was there with jules and we have a slap up barbecue dinner with fabulous food.

I returned home completely replenished, that place just fills me up!

    THE THREE AMIGOS -  Sue and Derek with French friend Bruno, a              photographer visiting Australia

 

   Good to see there are some pristine silos left!

    

    

   a beautiful drystone wall near St Arnaud

    a new bird - at don's, a yellow-faced honeyeater

On the way back i went via Murtoa to see the Stick Shed, an amazing building I've wanted to see for years. It's only recently been open every day after being was saved from demolition by a group of passionate locals who lobbied for its huge historical and cultural value to the community.  built in WW11 in 4mths to house the wheat we couldn't export, it's the only one of 40 still standing. supported by 560 unmilled mountain ash tree trunks, it feels like a cathedral inside.  Vast and very beautiful

     CHRISTMAS IN THE MALLEE :0)

Willie wagtail nesting in 

sue and derek's bamboo

     

   CHRISTMAS IN BEAUFORT

Niece Claire and Jules at Don's

GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE WATER!!

BEEN TO HOSPITAL AND BACK

Had a nice weekend with Sunny Luke and Etta here and the christmas bbq. Sadly susan had covid but jenny and freddie and sean were here and after a completely ghastly week of dark grey skies, howling buffeting winds and rain, sunday cleared up to a lovely warm sunny blue sky day.

We spent the morning at the beach, took the kayaks out near the Ozone and back, then fired up the barbie and enjoyed the weather.

Tuesday i headed into Jenny's and she took me to the Epworth, had the scopes done and results are that there's nothing drastic but no real explanation for my upset insides.  i guess i'll be investigating dietary causes.

It feels good to get it done though and i'm back in the water early, up at 5 and down to the boat club by 5.30.  gorgeous skies and very good to see everyone again.

I'M BUSY collecting images from sketchbooks and photos from old computers for my book.  Starting to think about layout.