Why I Love Sunday

Early morning light tangling with fossicked treasures
The mellow, chocolatey notes of a Toby's Estate coffee whilst people watching
Greetings from fury friends upon our arrival home from the farmers market
Spending a quiet afternoon tucked up in bed alongside my love, with good book or knitting project

I love Sunday...& then Monday rolls around.
What do you get up to on Sunday? - Do you spend the day with family? Attend church or prayer? Cook, bake & play 1950's housewife? or are you like me, & spend the day pottering about the house after a morning market run, before retiring to the boudoir at 5pm with icecream & the evening news?

Saying "goodbye"

Goodbye's are weird. Well, I  find goodbye's to be weird. I become weird, and awkward, and at times sad, or awkwardly sad when it's not really sad, and then there's the times when I should be sad but I can't muster any emotion, or the times when I'm even happy to say goodbye, which becomes weird and awkward again because it's not the happy kind of goodbye. You get it, right? 

In short, I'm not good at the "goodbye". 

On Sunday, we had a sad/awkward/happy/sad again/relieved-that-it's-finally-over kind of goodbye.

It was hard, but it was always going to happen. 

We said goodbye to the kittens. 

These rumbley-tumbley, soft and cuddly, blue-eyed, little kittens that have been a part of our lives for the past 11 weeks. From two tiny kittens, completely dependant upon their mama (Appa) to these boisterous, meowing, stalking and pouncing, getting in/on/under everything creatures that never ceased to make our day incredibly entertaining/frustrating/expensive/exhausting, but most of all, loved.

They became such a part of our household, that it was hard to remember how things were before...and we always knew this day would come, we'd just hoped it wouldn't come so fast. 

It was a rough day. It started with an argument and finished with Pancake Manor.

Neither of us had talked much about how we were feeling about giving the kittens away, rather busying ourselves with buying toys, blankets and food for them, and planing the long trip up the coast to their new home. We were snippy at each other all morning, until it all erupted in an emotion filled yelling match, which led to me storming off in a huff and Sam finding me bare-bummed and crying on the toilet. We couldn't help but laugh at ourselves. We finally chatted about our sadness of the impending goodbye, then dressed, packed the car, plugged in the iPod and set off. 

The trip was filled with sing alongs, kitten cries and beautiful scenery. When we finally reached the coast, the salty air was welcoming and the sunshine made my heart happy. It made our parting a little easier. We played a little and said our goodbyes. We were happy. They were in a loving home. 

On the way up the mountain to home, we stopped at the Pancake Manor in Ipswich. 

Dessert for dinner :)

 *all photos by Sam

We were exhausted, emotionally and physically, as we pulled into the drive at 10pm. We were greeted at the door by a very happy dog and two meowing cats, and we realised that this is our family, in our home. 

 //"Man's feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell."// Jean Paul Richter//

PS. I have to apologise for breaking my promise to write on Monday...it's now 1am on Thursday :( Note to self: Must be more present!

PPS. The routine is going okay. We've been walking Tig regularly (she even sits at the back door at 5pm, patiently waiting.) I haven't been getting up much earlier than usual (maybe because I'm still awake at 1am?) or drinking much tea, but being more active is a step in the right direction. 

I've just got to change my routine a little at a time.

AND! If you happen to stumble across here this month, head over here to enter the Sole Society/The Beetle Shack giveaway! Good Luck! x

Highlights, Lowlights and Down lights

So, I haven't posted in about a week! I hate that, as I promised myself if I started a new blog I would be fully committed, and I feel as if I've failed already. Time has just gotten away from me this week.

Excuses aside, I figured I'd do a little check in and update you on what I have been up to this week. It's been a doozy!

Fri - Sam and I found out that our friend and university lecturer Dr Marilyn Meier Kapavale had passed away. A magnificent pianist, doting mother and dear friend; she was a truly inspiring woman, who put her family first and never ceased to bring a smile to my face every time I saw her. I'll cherish every memory. 

Sat - After a wonderful night celebrating the end of semester with friends, I spent most of the day pottering around the house and enjoying a relaxed and chilled day with Sam and the animals. This was probably the easiest day I've had in the last week...I miss its simplicity. We also capped our internet today...it's gonna be a low, slow week ahead!

Sun - It's rare for me to have a weekend off, especially a Sunday, so Sam and I woke up early for some brekky and a trip to the markets! It was a beautifully crisp winter morning (unusual for me to enjoy as I dread chilly winter weather) with great food and company. 
* I have a post in the works with some pictures from our morning, so check back soon!

Mon - Sam and I had planned to get away for a couple of days to Byron Bay, but after a few unfortunate family issues that put a damper on our trip. I have to admit that I was (and still am, to be honest) upset that we didn't get to spend some time away, but I'm sure we'll get another chance soon. We're madly saving at the moment to make our first overseas trip together in early 2013, to visit some of Sam's closest friends who live in the States. I'm incredibly excited for Sam, as she's had some of these friends for 5 or more years and they've never met in person, but often talk everyday via blogs and boards. We're so excited!

Tue - I had the most amazing bubble bath in the evening! I hadn't had a hot, bubbly bath in a couple of months and I have to say, it was divine! I set up the laptop, popped in a movie, filled up the tub and soaked my worries away for a good hour or so. It was made all the lovelier when Tig (our dog) decided that she would keep me company and slept on the bath mat. Precious. 

Wed - I changed my very first down light! It has taken me a long time to get around to doing it but I can now proudly say I have done it! I've had an incredible fear of changing the down lights in our house for a while now...the thought of creepy-crawlies coming our of the fixture-yuck! A few weeks ago the light on our front stoop blew and the only time I'd remember to change it was when I went to turn it on at duck. It finally got to the point that not having a front door light was getting beyond annoying, and slightly dangerous. 
Now that I've overcome that hurdle, there's handful of blown bulbs with my name written all over them!

Thu - Today I was back at work, which I really enjoyed as I like the routine of getting up early for work and then spending the evenings at home, cooking dinner and relaxing. Tonight, while Sam sleeps, I have been chasing the two kittens around the house and doting on them as if they were my very own babes. It's been beautiful watching them grow from newborns to plump-bellied, wobbly-legged 5 week old kittens. The next 5 weeks will be bitter-sweet as we prepare them to go off to new families who will get to enjoy more of their soft purrs and quirky personalities.  

 I hope you've had a wonderful week so far! and I promise to be back again soon! :)

Winter Nights

Every year I say it; "I swear it's colder this winter than last!", and although it may not be true, I believe it with all my being. Ask my friends, and they will tell you without a doubt, I am not a fan of winter. 

I am grumpy and mopey, I spend the days frump-ily rugging up track pants and jumpers, my skin begins to resemble that of the one-ply toilet tissue you find in school restrooms - in both colour and texture - and I struggle to step out onto the freezing tiles that cover almost every floor of our little abode each morning to make coffee, before climbing back into the warm bed. I often feel that the only reason I put up with this time of year is because I get to share in sooo many birthdays with friends and family, Sam's and mine included. Winter is dreary to me, and I dread it's coming each year. 

 But recently I've felt different. 

There's something about the crisp, quiet evenings of late that has begun to twist my feelings of this season. I have found the strangest peace and reflection during the coolest of night hours, snuggled up in bed with the electric blanket on, surrounded by the dog and cats. Much of the time I am scouring the web for new inspiring blogs or browsing images from my favourite photogrpahers or just procrastinating from study. I will often make it to 2am before I succumb to drooping eyelids, but in those hours I can find the magic of this chilly season. The stillness of the world around me is comforting and relaxes my racing mind. Although I dread the coming dawn and its deceiving light hours, I now know I have something to look forward at the end of it all.

 ~ We often find these two hidden in the warm nooks of the closet, snuggled amongst the jumbles of clothes.