January: balmy.

Last year I finished on a cliff hanger. Would we get fireworks or covid? The answer was mostly covid. JK got symptoms but tested negative on a RAT. So G came and stayed the night on her way back from Tamworth and E planned to come up NYE bringing another RAT. As we packed our picnic for NYE party JK did the RAT and it was positive. So E went back and stayed with my parents, and me and G started isolating for the week. We had a picnic in the backyard which was rather pleasant. 

Below if photo of my birdbath, after isolating I went to bunnings and bought a cement tile to stand it on.

Anyway the first week of the year was kind of awful. Having a sick sad friend stay with you but having to avoid each other is bad, waiting and wondering if covid will happen to you. On the bright side, because the weather is so mild and lovely we could have the doors and windows open for ventilation and not worry about the AC; I read some enjoyable books; I went for walks because that's an isolated activity really; I was very tired and I slept a lot - was I fighting the virus, or just run down from the end of the year? I had a coldsore so my body was definitely under attack. I even had a catch up at maitland park with some friends who were visiting from NZ and passing through, and they were already around other close contacts, so I wore a mask and stayed a bit distanced from them. When covid is everywhere and we are taking responsibility ourselves, a bit of safe freedom is OK for mental health.

Next thing that happened was JK needed to move in properly so after isolation we moved house with some of her kindest friends. One big saturday to pack and move everything into my garage and house. We're still making things fit, but on Monday JK and friend sorted and stacked so that I can park my car in the garage so life is mostly normal.

And Sweep joined us. He was originally called Benny, but we changed to Sweep which he actually answers to, it just took us a while to get used to. He's a black cavoodle. He is very smart and trainable.

We hosted Sweeps brother for 2 days but it was too much work and he had bad habits.

I tried to return to work after isolating, but not in a good mood and not much interesting work so I worked 2 days, one in the office then took my stuff home and set up spare room office again. On one of the days off we visited the Singleton family and had a lovely afternoon.

Lucy has gorgeous hair.

I've been kayaking a couple of times. AM came up and we explored around Tocal in the Paterson river, saw some really cool birds including a heron nest and a wedge tail eagle. Then I went out with Kristy at Morpeth, the river was stunning, and we saw some rainbow bee eaters. 

A church friend invited me to the live music on the river. They had a pontoon stage. Lovely evening. The weather this summer has really made life nice.

I worked a full week then last week every day except Australian Day wednesday, and JK was up at hawksnest with a family so I went up for the day, we swam at Jimmys Beach, water was perfect.

We had lunch at tea gardens!

THursday was a big day. I had an oral surgeon appt to get blood test results. Turns out the ulcer in my mouth that wont heal is probably Crohns Disease. That was a bit unexpected. I know it is an autoimmune gut disease, but what is it doing in mu mouth. So now I add immunologist to my specialist list. 

On Thursday night church had a Paint and Sip event for women, with a good panel discussion on identity/self-worth. It was fun and also fun to see my work friend for the first time in 5-6 weeks I think. 

 Today I went lounge shopping again! There are good sales at the moment and I've found 2 I like, but I have to also deal with the lounges I already have which is the hard part. So I might miss these sales. But I'm getting closer.

Tomorrow is a long day, doing music for both afternoon services after a 2pm meeting. And then Monday back to work with the first cello lesson of the year and Tuesday home group starts. The full regime. I've been a bit fatigued and achy, life is a bit daunting, but I've done it before and it's all good things so it'll be OK. I think it's been hard getting back into work because the holiday was so bad, and not getting the mental boost from being in the office among other workers. But it's getting easier. I hope you are adjusting back into "regular" life as it is now.

December: pleasant weather! And a lot on.

Hello friends and readers. The blog continues.

I have to say I am loving this weather. A Summer where my garden isn't dying, we are cowering indoors in the AC, life is good. I've finished the year surprisingly strongly.

This photo shows the transition from spring to summer. The last few poppies, and the first few zinnias. I am very happy with my fancy zinnia seed purchase from veggie seed shop in Tasmania. A really lovely variety. The bunch I planted directly in the garden did well.

I was quite busy, but I felt like everything was under control. One of our 1 Timothy studies convicted me about using my gifts. Not neglecting a gift, but working on it and sharing it with others. Fighting my inclination to resent being asked to do things. I was asked to lead another bible study and while I had a lot on my plate and thought about it carefully, decided to do it because I could do it, I had time, and it is a valuable opportunity to practice and grow at it. This is a new experience and skill I've had a chance to develop this year. I'm thankful for my new home group.

A significant thing was doing music at 3 6pm services in a row and on Christmas Eve. Takes a lot of time and energy to organise people and songs. As above, I was convicted about developing and using gifts, and this is a unique time to do that, with the usual music team leader at another service and new people to play with at 6pm. May have already mentioned it if it happened in November, but one of our items I was very brave, and sang the first half of the first verse of Yet not I but through Christ a capella on my own. It was so different and our arrangement was so perfect for the song, it was a really authentic moment that people listened to and felt. A personal highlight. I was also very happy with the music on Christmas Eve. 4 musicians, including one who is new to church and I was a bit worried about him playing the piano and me not having control over the vibe, but I was able to play the cello, and praise God it went well. It was our first service with congregational singing since the August? lockdown.

I took a couple of flex days. It helps with catching up on admin and staying calm about life. On one of them, I did the car and the teeth. The dentist recommended me to an oral surgeon and I fit that in too. I've got a wound in my mouth that won't heal since October last year. It might be another auto-immune thing.

 

Work wasn't too busy but I was doing publications now the other designer is gone. I finished and sent to print a book that Dean had started. I did a minor update including some photos and sent that to print. I've got a book that I've done the whole thing, and I managed to get it to proof reading before I finished for the year. Good achievements to get those to the best stage or finished in the last month of the year.

Everyone enjoyed the intense orange blossoms on the memorial Nathan tree, which flowered early this year.

I got in early at the start of the month to start tidying up my garage and hanging fairy lights for carols in the garage - the situation with covid was getting more uncertain but I felt like being optimistic this year. I did the minimum organising and no music practice for it, partly because so busy and partly because not wanting to invest too much effort in an event I would cancel.

I had a very fun and wonderful trip to Sydney! I took a Friday off, drove down to AM, and we went to IKEA so that I could buy some stacking guest beds and mattresses and other spontaneous things.

AMs house is a peaceful haven near Lane Cove National Park.

Saturday: There is a new little track down to the park, and then we walked along the river.

Then I drove further in to Sydney for lunch with G, her friend and her ferrets. Then I drove home in extreme tiredness - the sort you are fighting a nap the whole way, shaking my head and eating chocolate to stay awake.

I have a temporary housemate, so I have cleared some pantry space and it has been nice to have company in the house, although it isn't the best time for her.

This is a little dog who stayed for a sleepover.

And here is Banjo guarding his bone. He is cute, but terribly neglected and full of anti social habits.

The weekend before Christmas I hosted a small crowd for Carols! Still enough to be worth running and for good singing - a man joined us from next door when he heard us. It was a hot day of 35 but not too uncomfortable. I think that will be my temperature limit in future. 

This is me putting all the stuff back in the garage - unloading junk from my boot and garden stuff that I moved up the driveway.

I took another day off during the week, timed it with all my work jobs, to spend time at Toukley with J and L and the girls. JK came, we went to Norah rock pool, had lunch at their bnb, bought some milkshakes next door and then headed back.

And here is the Christmas lunch at Singleton!

Parents gave me a birdbath and brother gave me some hanging pots. Very nice presents. Garden keeps levelling up! 

On the Monday after Christmas I had my Covid booster so took my sister over to the baths and we swam even though the weather was pretty windy and awful. She saw friends while I filled in time at Harris Farm and then went to Belmont Bunnings again.

We then had a Wheel of Time marathon and finished the season, me Heather and Dad. I started to get very achy and hot, so actually had a reaction this time.

The next day I put away the fairy lights in the garage and washed the car, and then was struck down again by tiredness and aches, so I just slept and rested on the couch.

I now have time to couch shop, so me and K did a drive down to Erina to see the couch I liked on the floor and test it - very soft, but the back is low - so no good. We had brunch at a nursery cafe and did some browsing and lunch at Erina fair. A good old fashioned shopping day out. I bought some pink/orange shorts from Sportcraft, which was an impulse buy, but actually I'm loving them, nice length, shape and colour. 

That afternoon I went kayaking with H and for the first time explored upriver of the Maitland bridge. We got up to Bolworra/Walka. A pretty strong current to paddle against upriver but fun floating back down.

And now it's the New Year's Eve tradition of G and E coming up from Sydney, morning swims and afternoon naps. Everyone is napping and I am blogging and writing a prayer. I made dough yesterday and baked it this morning. 

Then G and I jumped in her new yellow car and headed to Merewether baths for a swim. The weather is perfection. After many NYEs of so hot, so smoky, no fireworks, we are actually having a good one this year!

Stay tuned for next month - Did they cancel the fireworks again? did we get Covid? Did I go to Mudgee? It's all so exciting.

November stretching

Here is my account of a post lockdown month.

Starting with two accidental family calls, one from mum and one from Lucy. I'm especially honoured that I was the first person Lucy has ever called.

Did Banjo come in November or October? Ah it was October and he was still stressed. Well now he has settled down, had an operation and worn a cone, and started growling and biting men. He's a bit of a project as he's never been properly trained, but he's cute and entertaining.

Big news at work, the other graphic designer has gone on leave to probably retired, so me and V organised some farewells. It was an added stress bc I hate organising, but we got him an awesome gift, and had a lovely afternoon hanging out on the homestead verandah, which was probably the first work social thing post lockdown so there was a very happy atmosphere. We invited other retired colleagues back so it was very special.

Pepe Saya sent me and L a hamper of butter, crumpets and pancake mix, so we hosted a little morning tea breakfast.

Here now are some of my many non-work social activities! I have taken people to Tre Viet, my new favourite place around the corner!

I'm also trying to catch up with church people before church so this is me and some friends having gelato for dinner!

And this is a picnic I thought of where 4pm and 6pm can eat and mingle. 4pm have arvo tea and we bring picnics or kebabs. It has rained a lot and also I've been on music a lot, so it hasn't happened since this one time but this was great.

This is our new temporary home, we have been meeting in the afternoons at 2,4 and 6 at the Uniting church in town. It has great accoustics but pews. Lovely facilities though such as the front lawn, the halls, the car parking.

The post is called "November stretching" because as well as stretching out after lockdown, I've stretched myself in other things. I have led homegroup again. I have organised musical items for 3 weeks at church. I even sang solo a capella in one song. 

George and Elsie made a trip up for the weekend! Of course we ate Tre Viet.

We also did a morning walk at Mt Tomaree on the super windy day. We ate at the food truck market, although it was also too windy so less options and less pleasant. But better than rainy weather as we weren't stuck inside.

I am very fit in this photo.

Dad and I have been watching Wheel of Time together as the episodes come out. 

My parents have had their ancient 3-way bathroom renovated, so we had lots of video updates!

Luke organised a combined birthday (Lucy and Matt) dinner at a Japanese restaurant at Honeysuckle. I liked it a lot, would repurchase. Lucy liked my jumpsuit pants gift so much she put it on straight away.

And then the following weekend I had another dinner in Newcastle for Kristy, and I went in early and had a nice walk along the foreshore looking at the big surf and getting rained on.

We had dinner in an Italian restuarant on Hunter Street, and then there was drinks at the Babylon (below), and while I had planned on just the dinner, I popped inside and was impressed at the old theatre converted into a bar. I think I ended up home at 10pm which is good.

It has been very busy compared to lockdown and I knew I'd have to manage my energy carefully, hence my early night. The night before, I went to Maitland rep theatre for the importance of being earnest, and I left at intermission because it was 9:45, I was tired, and I already knew how it ends. Plus I went alone so didn't annoy anyone to leave. I skipped going to an engagement party in Newcastle last weekend because tossing up the energy cost vs the seeing people, decided it was time to save some energy.

The orchid is still flowering, on its second stem. What a champion. There are zinnias starting and poppies dying. I have done a big prune and filled the green bin to start December. Need to prune more and mow again! Lucky only a small garden!

And of course, I am preparing for Carols in the Garage. This is the before photo, I've tidied up and hung fairy lights.

I started the month with a lot of ambition, to have an early alarm, do my cello practice and bible reading before work, do zoom word and prayer tuesday and thursday, work back in the office, and after work do things like workouts, home group, music practices. I couldn't sustain it, I had to give up on the early mornings. I get the odd bad nights sleep either when I'm anxious or just because I've got a pinch in my right shoulder at the moment and that doesn't help. So it's hard to do normal life. I'm not mentally struggling with it, but as I expected I can't physically do it without exhaustion.