First half of September holidays, second half very ordinary.
I headed to Dubbo for work team workshop, which I enjoy, and we squeezed a quick couple of hours visit to the zoo when we got there too.
The last morning of the conference I was very stressed because my booking for Katoomba had been cancelled and I hadn't found out. It would have been fine if I had known because Ros was no longer able to join me so I would have cancelled the plan and got a refund, easy. However now it left me not sure where I'd sleep the night. THankfully the agent was able to find a vacant house in wentworth falls!
Unfortunately the house was vacant because the owner had a whole lot of tradies rocking up, so I stayed in my room for a while and then headed out to avoid them. I felt like I was in the way of the owner but also felt like I was not having a very nice holiday because of the working being done on the house, so I was quite stressed. I had a conversation with the lovely owner before I went out, asking if I was out of the way all day could they let me have it to myself the next day, and I also messaged the agent about it, and they ended up working that out, and giving me a bonus night for free. After that stressful start to the holiday, it was all up from there!
I thought I'd walk from Wentworth Falls to Leura, but all the rain had made landslides damage a lot of the walks, so I did just a nice waterfally walk instead, on the advice of 2 ladies and 3 rangers I met.
Anna arrived and we had lunch at Leura. It was AMAZING to have a good catch up with her! We can pick up like nothing has changed and no time has passed. We spent the afternoon at Leura shops, had dinner back at the house. The next morning, we had breakfast at WF post office cafe, and I really enjoyed shopping at the small set of boutique shops, I bought some candles I am now obsessed with from Southern Wild, and a yellow shirt from the UK brand Seasalt. The news of the Queen's death was a lot to process and discuss with shopkeepers.
We did the Wentworth Falls bushwalk, and after lunch at home we went to Katoomba. Katoomba is the village most affected by the lack of international travel, sadly. We shopped at The Little Lost Bookshop, and evening at the 3 sisters was spectacular, then we had Tibetan food for dinner.
Anna headed to church camp on Saturday morning, and I stayed another day on my own. I can't remember what I did. I had plans of doing tapestry but I'm pretty sure I didn't.
On Sunday I quickly checked out the nearby amazing rock platform with no fences, and then headed to Mudgee.
I had to stretch out my activities to fill in my visit. I did the rounds of the local shops, but pretty much didn't buy anything this time except food. I had lunch with H on her lunch break each day, plus a few teas and cakes. I enjoyed the Mudgee Museum which has a fabulous doll collection, while the art gallery is basically one space but had a good installation of paper marionette brolgas.
S took me on a bushwalk which had lots of little creeks to cross, so it was lucky I had my hiking boots.
I gave them a puzzle as a thankyou gift and we did it within my stay.
And I cooked butter chicken one night for dinner.
The amazing french patisserie Althea was closed most of my visit but opened on the day I left so I got some takeaway pastries. It is a must visit.
And now back to regular life! I bravely went to a Mafia night but I did well, it's a game that I always make an embarrassing mistake, forget who I'm supposed to kill or something, but I played well enough.
We had a wedding squished into our 6pm service one Sunday which made doing music chaotic, there were two bands doing different things, and for some reason the sound switched off for the guitar for the end of it, but we pulled it off. My next music challenge is church camp band.
There was a tiny little market in Maitland, and a new bakery has opened which used to be in the Gaol a few years ago, good bread, JK and I went and bumped into Ros there! Got some fried chicken also at the new asian fried chicken shop.
On the Queen's memorial public holiday Thursday, JK and I went up to Singleton and hung out with the family. Sweep chased the chickens and one seemed to be lost but it was just hiding.
We filled in the whole afternoon with games and then I headed back for a Pilates class, because my current system is to fit in a few regular ones each week that I book in advance, and then jump in any bonus classes if I feel like it and they are available.
I organised a coffee with Tony, which is something to do every few months. And I joined JK's fb social group for cocktails, which was nice to do something different and meet some different people without any sort of motivation beyond drinking and chatting - don't have to build work relationships or spiritual relationships or anything, just meet and move on.
A big fail: I washed a load of my winter woolies in the machine on the wrong setting and ruined half of them and damaged the rest. My favourite merino cardigan shrunk, other things were felted. Some are going to be still wearable but a wrap is now a scarf. I guess that's less stuff to care about in future, and caring for wool is a battle here there are so many moths, but it was sad.
A big win: I ordered a replacement washing line from bunnings because my old one had rusted through at the outside end, and I got it off the wall, and Dad came over with his masonry drill to help put the new one up. I then adjusted the lines myself to work so that some are higher and some are lower, bc me and JK are different heights.
The garden is now flourishing! New green leaves on the fence jasmine, and its the first year of enjoying a fully green fence! New leaves on the roses and I've just noticed a rosebud. I did a little digging to fix the wonky bird bath, and JK picked up a second hand shelf that fits her succulent collection, which freed up some of the other chairs and such outside. On the October long weekend I was home alone one night and lit candles and sat outside and enjoyed it. Ate and drank and listened to Missy Higgins.
And finally, excitingly, mum and dad are renovating more of the family home, so it is goodbye to the OG shag carpet and other such out of date wonders.
I returned to work after my holiday refreshed and aiming to be nice to everyone and not stressed and grumpy, and thankfully that has been achieved. How long can I keep it up hmooo. I organised an after work dinner catch up with A who left and T, which was a good thing achieved, very enjoyable and grownup work ladies having cocktails and burgers. I'll probably do one early next year again. Work and life has now switched into "what can I get done by the end of the year, and let's not add anything more to the plate now OK". I've got a set of things to finish at work, and I'm counting down the number of weeks of music left, and I've got a few social things I want to do.
And to finish with, I am really enjoying Reformer Pilates! Aiming for 3 a week - 2 workouts after work and 1 stretch session on SUnday before church. Will do a bonus on Saturday or sometime if I feel like it. I'm enjoying the early rush of gains you get when you are exercising regularly and learning new moves and getting more coordinated and stronger. I'm enjoying that it doesn't make my feet hurt, because it's mostly lying down haha and even when standing, it's often sliding rather than stepping or jumping. I think it's helping with my posture and core, but my shoulder pain is improved from months of Physio anyway. I enjoy exercising not at home as I am a bit bored of that, having a place of my own to exercise in Maitland. I push myself harder with other humans around. I'm having a red hot go at getting fit and healthy again and if possible losing the few kilos I put on during covid and surgery times. Watch this space.
