Year: 2018

Its been quite a bumper year and a lot has happened in our lives and our children’s lives. On an individual basis mostly good but the world, oh dear, oh dear, the world seems to be getting more polarised, more uncaring, and battered by wild weather. Many Xmas presents this year were presents allowing us…

The celebrations of Christmas are just that little bit different in the Southern Hemisphere. The heat comes from the sun, not the fireside, the lights come from the blaring sun, not the xmas lights, though god knows there are enough of those in the neighbourhood, and the oven mainly gives way to the BBQ on…

I organised an early Xmas present for the hubby in time for the Xmas party this weekend. Turfing of the lower garden. I found a great outfit called Desire landscaping, http://desirelandscapes.com.au and organised a quote.Quite like the name.  The weather has been wet so it was touch and go whether they could do it but Ivan…

This weekend I had the pleasure of coming across Meeanjin Markets in the city. I sat crossed legged on the lovely little cushions they provided, with many other onlookers, to watch the beautiful traditional dances of the Aboriginal and Torres Islander Groups. So much to note, Brisbane City Council facilitating and staging this in the…

Today I want to talk about initiatives I see and experience which are worth sharing with my few but dedicated followers. Why ? Because they give us hope that city councils and people in authority but also ordinary people are actually looking at things the right way round. Let me explain: Busy Mall in the…

I have been counting down the days. To blog before the 1st would be a bit of a sacrilege and lets face it, we have plenty of time to get into the spirit and enjoy the season.The first of December is the official start of summer. You may think it had shifted to November this…

Dougall hurtled me to it and I picked it up gingerly and then admired it the whole way home. Exquisite would you not agree?The pod comes from Flindersia Australis, aka Crow’s Ash and this is a rainforest tree well known for its hard wood which is the equivalent of Australian teak.When I look at this…

Saving Cyprus by Marian Kamensky SNAFU is a word I came across for the first time in The India Times when I lived there.The acronym originated in the US Marine Corps during WWII.  It means : SITUATION NORMAL ALL FUCKED UP- and there could be no better word to describe the current chaos of political turmoil,…

Not the mood decider that you might think, but my favourite colour which is popping up not only above me but below. Purples and hues of blue in nature are a rare colour, and suddenly they are everywhere. Definitely one to share. Dougall was happy too. 

The question I ask myself over and over again is when will this door to lasting peace unlock and enable the two communities to live side by side on the island which is blessed in so many ways. Is it the hubris of the gods who look down on our comfortable lives and give us…