From Brisbane with Love

Please join me at my new blog!

2014-03-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!

Just after we moved from Atlanta to Austin I started a new blog - I think it has a better energy but I'd love to hear from you about it, so please let me know what you think.

Do you like the new name? Does the old one make more sense? Any other thoughts, I'd love to hear them all. Thanks heaps!

You can find it at this link: unwaveringme.blogspot.com

xx

Moving again

2013-09-25T20:18:00.002-04:00

We're moving to Austin TX in two weeks. I've been packing away clothes, jewellery, photos and memories once more into boxes with labels, some that say 'fragile, handle with care' and find myself relating. I wish I could say moving gets easier the more you do it but I wouldn't mean it. For me it's getting harder each time. Harder to transition jobs, make friends, find a bloody hairdresser that's worth a damn.

It's harder because the more I move, the more of my heart I seem to leave behind at every place we vacate. Like they're a part of me but also something I'm living without. It becomes harder to open up to people when you're feeling the acute absence of the others you love and left behind. After a while, a sort of apathetic wall shields you from getting too close because you dread the goodbye and although you aren't always consciously aware of it: your heart is.

As I look around at these walls and remember slumber parties, drunken escapades, cooking for and entertaining friends, I realize that I drew distance months ago from anyone that I dreaded saying goodbye to. Once the inevitability of our move became apparent, I retreated deep into my shell and refuse to come out for anything. I did the same thing when we left Central Queensland, Scarborough Beach, Brisbane, home. Pieces of my soul are encased in each of these places and within key people whom I unconditionally love. I've never gotten the hang of taking my old life or friends along with me to my new experiences and this has gradually built into an immense feeling of loss.

Now with two puppies, it's like having kids! I'm leaving a city where Baxter wore his first Halloween costume, where Dorothy was weened; where they both had their first vaccinations, tummy bugs, walks and park plays. Saying goodbye to the sidewalks and parks they adore complete with tried and tested squirrel homes and best doggy pals. Not to mention the best baby sitters and dog-dream-vacation-providers around. None of that is replaceable. All of it will be missed.

The urge to write

2013-09-25T19:18:00.000-04:00

I'm horrible at this blogging business, I know. I'm the same at keeping a journal -very inconsistent with my entries and not regimented at all. I've always wanted to be more organized and I tried to give this blogspot a specific genre (travel) but I could never actually get organized enough while on the road to upload photos or travel maps and reviews/ bleh!

Then I told myself that having a blog is like keeping a journal but I couldn't believe it because of the people-reading-it thing and the expectations that places on me to remain prompt with posts, have engaging content etc. While I've always wished I could be more organized, I'm afraid the truth is that I will always be spontaneous and emotional. It's the same problem that people who rely on me to stay in touch have ... I only write when I have an urge. And today, after more than a year, I felt an urge to blog something.

I've had enough of opening this blogspot and thinking 'I have nothing engaging to say' or 'maybe if I say this it'll require a back story?' I'm just going to write. Something I should have done from the beginning and stay true to myself.

Good morning Atlanta

2012-08-13T10:52:00.001-04:00

This morning, as i made my usual walk through Atlanta's midtown to the restaurant I'm a temporarily hostess at, it dawned on me that Atlanta is so much cleaner than other American cities. This point is highlighted by the constant absence of roaches and vermin. Although they may be seen from time to time (most frequently in the underground train tunnels), it is nothing compared to the sheer volume I have seen on my short visits to big cities like New York, Chicago and Dallas or older cities like Savannah, New Orleans and Little Rock.

It's lovely to wake up in the morning, pick up a coffee and walk along the white pavement of midtown Atlanta surrounded by clean gutters (does someone sweep them everyday? I've never seen anyone!), vibrant flowers and bright sunlight that's reflected off the brand new buildings.

it's nail day!

2012-08-08T18:50:00.001-04:00

Another fun day at the salon with the fortnightly usual: maintenance and manicure! Although I am normally quite adventurous, today I just felt like a bright red colour for my nails and toes. I'm totally loving this Monsooner or Later shade from O.P.I who really do the BEST shades of red nail polish.

My day with the Fire Chief's wife

2012-07-02T17:28:00.001-04:00

On Saturday I spent the day with the Fire Chief of Somerset's wife; Kim, since Will was busy all day, first hosting a presentation and then a training session that was attended by firefighters from three different counties. Kim was a fantastic tour guide, having been born and raised in the area, she took me around to the hot-spots!

9am: We started our day by leaving the fellas at the training facility and driving down to a country store for doughnuts and coffee. This was no ordinary country store! Being inside Meckley's was like stepping into a time warp to the 1950's! It almost made us forget about any doughnuts as we were swept away with authentic trinkets, condiments, tea towels, handmade goodies, decorative items and vintage memorabilia. Photos below...

10am: Once the doughnuts were bought, delivered back to the training ground and devoured by the pack of hungry fire fighters, we set out again; this time for Amish country. Another time warp and truly a one-of-a-kind experience, we drove right into their community, past several properties and then into the yard of an Amish family that had a bakery set up on their land. The bakery also sold raw, organic produce and cooking materials that they farm themselves. Since they do not allow photos, I wasn't able to sneak very many; but here are the ones I did manage to sneak:

12pm: Came back to the training ground to deliver water and check on the progress... still in full swing, so we set out for a winery and some local wine-tasting at the Cherry Creek Winery!

These were the ones I loved and bought...
All 3 bottles for $38!!

2.00pm: Back at the fire station it was lunch time. While the steaks and hot dogs were grilling, Kim put in a good word for me and I got to go for a ride in the fire truck!

It was a wonderful, action packed day, thanks so much to Kim! By 4pm, Will and I were on the road again for our next stop, Marshall Michigan: the town where he spent several years as a kid and where we would be spending the weekend.

Wildlife of Michigan

2012-07-02T15:10:00.000-04:00

During my weekend in the State of Michigan, here are the animals I saw alive and running around:

Black Squirrels! I was so fortunate to see a few of these
since locals told me they are only found in the counties
around Marshall and Battle Creek

Beaver
Photo thanks to: answersingenesis.org

White tail deer with antlers!
Photo thanks to: statesymbolsusa.org

Woodchuck!
Not the best photo but it's just how I saw the little guy:
running across a footpath
Photo thanks to: juliesickefoose.blogspot.com

Finches!
I saw blue and green ones too,
but these were the best photos I took

Sand crane!
Photo thanks to: fishandgame.idaho.gov

I also saw plenty of raccoons, possums, skunks and a vulture; but as they were laying along the side of the roads (next to the wildflowers) I feel that they don't count!

Wild flowers of Michigan

2012-07-02T13:37:00.000-04:00

Just after lunch on Friday, we left Indianapolis and drove to Brooklyn, Michigan. Although it has been a very dry summer up here, the foliage seemed lush to me and all along the sides of the freeway I saw the brightest and most beautiful flowers.

Queen Anne's Lace - gets its own collage
because it's my favourite of all

A night in a train station

2012-06-29T11:06:00.001-04:00

With shifts covered and Baxter dropped off at Aunt Amy’s, last night Will and I arrived in Indianapolis, IN and had a great dinner with friends at a restaurant downtown called Palomino. This is the first time I’ve gone anywhere without Baxter for a whole week so I was trying to enjoy my scallops and not look compulsively at my phone for updates or missed calls from Amy. I was anxious about my boy not eating or sleeping and moping around looking for me; but once the text came through that he was having fun playing outside and has eaten well, I relaxed, had a mojito and became part of the lively conversation.

This morning my plan was to explore the city, but I only have two hours before Will gets back from his meeting and we need to drive on to the next place; so I’m staying put. Honestly, I am intrigued with our hotel and want to explore it more.

We are staying at the Crowne Plaza, an historic building transformed from a train station into a hotel that has retained its train station appearance and simply moulded rooms into the original design! The platform is now carpeted and rooms are built around it, where the tracks should be; I’ve never seen anything like it! To make it even better, part of the original train station remains next door to the hotel. Downtown Indianapolis Union Station is literally separated from Crowne Plaza by a wall, so when a train goes by you can hear it and feel the ground rumble for an authentic I’m at a train station vibe. Hopefully these pictures from the booked.net web page will describe things better than I can. In the meantime, I’m off to take some of my own!

Catching Up

2012-06-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

I know I’ve been quite again for a while; but in my defence, nothing worth blogging about has been going on. Will was in Africa for three weeks and I was just working and catching up with friends at J Crew. Actually, I take that back... I did spend a week working at a fabulous hair salon in Atlanta called Douglas and Co. (as a receptionist! Settle down, they wouldn't actually let me cut anyone’s hair!!). It was a great time and learning experience; with the best part being the before and after transformations of clients: enter dishevelled hag... exit Malibu Barbie (extremity of cases varying of course!)

I also came away from it with a new, God-sent hair dresser; the kind you can consult with before an appointment and trust that they actually have your best interest in mind. I’ve always wanted a hair dresser I can blindly trust and now I have one! YAY! Thanks Erica x Needless to say, I will now recommend Douglas and Co. to all friends/ acquaintances/ dishevelled hags I come across in need of a decent salon and boast shamelessly about how fantastic and healthy my hair looks and feels.

Moving on... Will is setting out for another work trip tomorrow (yes, he has only been home for 5 days) and this time he insists on me accompanying him since we’ve hardly seen each other this past month. This will be a weeklong trip to Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin; including 4th July spent at a street festival in Chicago!! I am therefore trying desperately to get my shifts covered at J Crew so I can go... fingers crossed!

Water for Elephants

2012-06-08T20:00:00.000-04:00

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is the first book I've managed to complete reading since Edward Rutherfurd's New York months ago. I finished it in half a day - I couldn't put it down! Entertaining and exceptionally easy to read; it's also heart wrenching and plain tormenting at times. I saw the movie almost a year ago and have found it to be a very accurate portrayal of the book (for a change!). The actor choices were great, I can't imagine anyone better for the three lead parts and while reading, my mind drew pictures of scenes and actors from the movie.

I would recommend this book and movie combo to everyone (over the age of 16) and will definitely add it to my pile of favourite books that I re-read in rotation every few years or so. The main character Jacob Jankowski comes to such a heartbreaking and honest end that I hope I never forget the resolutions this book inspired within me to make. I wonder how many resolutions or emotions it will stir within others?

Savannah trolley tours

2012-06-01T19:10:00.000-04:00

This morning I woke early; as the geek within was eagerly anticipating the trolley tour of Savannah's Historic District that Will and I would be spending most of our day aboard. With so many tours to chose from, we spoke to the concierge from our hotel yesterday and after getting his (apparently unbiased) advice, we chose the on-off tour that allows people to hop off, or re-board the trolley at 15 designated stops around the city; giving us plenty of time to explore points of interest at our leisure. Coincidentally, the on-off trolley tour is the only pet friendly one in the city, so we decided that Baxter would come too.

The photos speak for themselves; Savannah is an incredibly beautiful city, but to learn about its history and get a real appreciation for the place, I definitely recommend the trolley tour conducted by Savannah Tours.

Thursday night in Savannah

2012-05-31T23:25:00.000-04:00

After getting changed, feeding and putting baby Baxter to bed; Will and I continued exploring down Savannah's Bay and River Streets well into the night. Our first stop was the hotel right across the street from ours; the East Bay Inn, where daily tours are conducted throughout. We were greeted by the concierge and even though tour had concluded for the day, she showed us some local history in the welcome area, where we took some photos and continued on our way.

East Bay Inn, Bay Street

Next we visited Savannah's Candy Kitchen on River St, which has to be every child and sweet tooth's dream! We witnessed the mixing and manufacturing of candy, sampled local delights and after almost an hour of me deliberating what sweets to buy and Will growing increasingly impatient; we left with only one caramel coated apple!

Savannah's Candy Kitchen

Afterward, we had dinner at the Oyster Bar and listened to a one-man show at the Cotton Exchange Tavern before wrapping up for the evening.

Weekend getaway to historic Savannah

2012-05-31T17:19:00.000-04:00

Will's going to South Africa for two whole weeks; but not wanting to loose the title of best-hubbie-in-the-world, he has organised a weekend trip for the three of us to visit Savannah beforehand! I'm so excited! This trip will appease the restlessness within me caused by being in the same place for so long; and it will enable us to spend quality time together... ahh bliss!

We left Atlanta this morning and arrived in Savannah by 3pm: just in time for a horrendous storm that brought hail, a city-wide power outage and lightening that was striking down trees and power lines before our eyes! Once it was safe to leave the car, Will checked us into an ancient and beautiful building on Bay St, which is now the Staybridge Hotel.

Ordinarily, we would have been ecstatic to be upgraded to a suite on the top level, but with no electricity, Will lugged our entire car-trunk of luggage up five flights of stairs and this put a slight damp on his enthusiasm! I offered to help or course, but my Prince Charming insisted on doing it himself. By 4 pm, we were walking down River St! Where the streets are paved with... oyster shells.

We walked all the way from one end of Bay St to the other and then back up Bay St to our hotel to get ready for the evening.

Great mornings at the Green Market

2012-05-19T14:49:00.000-04:00

On Saturday mornings between May and October, Will and I like to kick our weekends off with a walk to the Piedmont Park Green Market where we have breakfast. The market vendors are all local farms or businesses and their stalls have something to interest everyone; like organic fruit and veg, fresh meat, hot or iced tea and coffee, sweet and savoury preserves and jams, hand crafted jewellery, Asian and Mexican cuisine, baked goods and a myriad of sweets for desert!

We pick up our coffees, walk around and choose our breakfasts and sit down to enjoy it all at a table right next to the (always upbeat) band. The market is pet friendly so Baxter comes along and lays in the shade under our table, munching on his organic dog biscuit from the "Big Daddy's Doggy" tent.

Photo: ieatsales.com

Photo: piedmontpark.org

Photo: discover-atlanta.com

Photo: sohoatlantablog.typepad.com

Box of Memories

2012-05-16T21:38:00.000-04:00

Will's aunt is putting her house on the market and has been cleaning it out little by little, getting rid of all the things she won't need, including Will's battle-scarred, childhood chest that he brought home a few days ago.

I spent some of my day off work today cleaning and polishing it up, preparing it for its new role as storage space for our spare bedding. As I wiped and waxed, I couldn't help picturing my husband as a kid; energetic, loud and rough with the world at his feet and all the potential in the world. I wonder if he is happy with the way his life turned out... of course if I asked him he would say that he is, but I wonder if he ever thought his life would turn out the way it has?

Did he ever imagine that he would become a travelling salesman like his father, when he was a boy crying with frustration that his daddy was never home, stuffing this chest with toys? Or when he got to high school and begun filling it with sports memorabilia, trophies, jerseys and collective cards? Did he think he would be so settled down when he became even older and his chest became a storage unit for letters, photos and records of his achievements in the Marine Corps?

I wonder if he thinks that his life has become so predictable and whether he is content with the decisions he has made that have got him to this place in his life... or if he still yearns for more? Like his toy chest that watched him evolve over his lifetime, holding so much within; now standing rather pathetically at the foot of our bed storing pillows, sheets and blankets.

Sweetwater Creek Park

2012-05-12T19:59:00.000-04:00

Both Will and I have been working so much that we haven’t had a chance to get anyway anywhere, even for a weekend. Both of us go stir-crazy being cooped up in the city for long, so we take any chance we can to put on our hiking shoes and at least explore places near to us on synchronized days off. Recently we found a place about 20mins away called “Sweetwater Creek Park.”

More than just an awesome State Park with an abundance of wildlife, native plants, awesome walking trails and a river flowing through it, Sweetwater is also home to an incredible historic site: the ruins of a textile mill demolished in the Civil War! Its strong foundation and several skeletal walls still stand on the creek bed, casting a hauntingly beautiful centrepiece amongst the otherwise untouched, wild landscape.

Rainbow flip flops

2012-05-07T22:57:00.000-04:00

In Australia they’re called thongs... but here in the States, a thong is something entirely different! Whatever you want to call them; Rainbow’s are the most comfortable flip flips in the world! Will’s worn the same pair since before I met him four years ago and last week he finally converted me into buying a pair. They were tight and painful at first, but Will suggested that I wear them in the shower so that I can get them wet and stretch them out. I always thought wetting leather was a big no-no, but take my word for it: it works!

And do yourself a favour: get a pair of Rainbow thongs (the Aussie meaning!)

Scarborough Beach

2012-05-01T23:52:00.000-04:00

Of all the experiences within my life, few compare to the sunsets on Australia's western coastline. For half the year of 2009, I would try every evening to be by the shore to bear witness to another glorious sunset over the beach. Scarborough Beach.

Prior to moving to Scarborough Beach, I had lived three years in QLD at the base of the Great Barrier Reef; but this new beach had a completely different kind of beauty. Its sand was powder soft and white; its water was sapphire blue with enormous and angry waves and its seashells were types I'd never seen before. There was a raw, untouched authenticity to its shore; where tall grass grew right onto the sand and rabbits would hide - real, adorable rabbits on a beach - nothing else I've seen yet beats that. There were giant pine trees growing at the border line where sand met soil; and Rosella parrots were seen everywhere and heard above beeping horns and crashing waves.

This was our first home; Will and I. A more magnificent backdrop we could never have imagined as we were consumed by our love for each other and took our first steps into a shared life. It was on Scarborough Beach that Will proposed to me - surrounded by rabbits, gum nuts, crashing waves, those annoying parrots; and a setting sun that still takes my breath away just remembering it.

Scarborough Beach was where I met Will's mum for the first time; where Will and I had our first argument; and there in that tiny, one bedroom apartment on Pearl Parade that I cooked our first dinner, paid our first bills, ruined our first load of washing and got my first taste of missing my home in QLD so much, that I stayed up and cried in private while he slept.

It was there on Scarborough Beach that I realised for first time that I would spend the rest of my life with someone, as Will and I sat on a blanket sipping champagne (shhhh, alcohol wasn't allowed!) and watched as the sun set over the beach and that very first, very amazing chapter of our joint life. At times, I close my eyes and I am right there again.

orbville.com

topboxdesigns.com

accomodationnear.com

sunsetcrystals.com.au

The half moon manicure

2012-04-23T21:43:00.000-04:00

My current obsession is the half moon manicure, as seen on the Christian Dior runway for Fall 2009. I may be slow on the up-take but I think it still works with just about anything, whether casual or chic.

This is what my nails currently look like <3
Photo thanks to: manicure-design.com

This is the colour I think I'll do next!
Photo thanks to: xoxotrina.com

Or maybe this next...?
Photo from: nailsbycarol.blogspot.com

Ceramic Wellington Boots

2012-04-19T17:05:00.001-04:00

As much as I typically hate getting sick, this time around I am so grateful for this flu which enables me to sit at home on this cold, rainy day; snug in my robe with a cuppa… and just write. The past month has been so busy without a moment to spare for my blog or creative writing projects, but it’s all that keeping busy that enables me to be creative I guess.

Instead of feeling creative though, today my mind is consumed with brooding thoughts and I am very acutely feeling the loss of a person in my life that once meant so much to me, and probably always will. I wonder how many other people loose touch with close friends along the path of their lifetime? Friends that made significant changes in their lives and those who they couldn't imagine living without. I read somewhere once that friends are like seasons: coming and going. That breaks my heart. I wonder if I will ever see my dear friend again, or if she was indeed just like a seasonal flower that bloomed dramatically and magnificently for a season in my life, never to return again.

I often think of Helen. Mostly when my mind is completely free and I'm making myself a cup of tea; we drank a lot of tea together - it was sort of our ritual: I would come over and make cuppas, then we would sit a while on her veranda at the table amidst the haphazard display of antique collectibles. There were those ceramic Wellington boots that stood by the door; the copper watering can always left by whichever plant she had watered last; the bird feeder, full of seed; that ancient and my most favourite church pew; and of course her pride and joy: those many native Austrlian orchids in all manner of pots that she spent hours tending to. That house is the embodiment of the shabby chic home that I suddenly realize has inspired my personal decorating preferences, no doubt longing to feel the warmth, acceptance, happiness and love that I always felt at her place.

We met in 2006, when I had just moved to Rockhampton and my life was in complete disarray. Drawn together by the sadness in both our lives at the time; we became close through our persistent hope for improvement and dual encouragement. Despite time, distance and many vast changes in my life, she remains one of the two closest friends I've ever had. Although we grew apart without saying goodbye, my loss and memories of her make me aware of the kind of friend I want to be.

Before I left Rockhampton in August 2009, already a year had past since Helen and I last spoke, but I wanted her to know how much she still meant to me and give her some sort of token of my love and gratitude. The token I chose was a necklace I'd found at a local jewellery store that had a large topaz pendant - topaz was Helen's favourite stone, her birth stone and ironically almost the same shade of blue as her own eyes - but when I arrived at her house to deliver it, she had long gone. I heard that she'd moved to the country to raise baby animals and her son in more serene surroundings. Today, I'm wearing that necklace and holding the pendant it in my hand as I write this, warming it with my touch, while these fond recollections warm my heart. Every time I look at it, I remember Helen's beautiful and honest blue eyes, wonder how she's doing and miss her dreadfully.

The fabulous Fox Theatre

2012-04-03T23:03:00.000-04:00

Tonight, Will and I along with some of our friends went to the Fox Theatre to see the Moscow Festival Ballet perform Cinderella. It was a wonderful performance in an iconic location; a venue that is an absolute must see if ever visiting Atlanta.

Stage view from our balcony seat!!

A day in the mountains of Georgia

2012-03-24T11:31:00.000-04:00

About an hour from Atlanta is a beautiful place called Amicalola Park in the mountain range of Georgia. It's the start of the Appalachian Trail (the mountain range that runs across almost all of America) and it’s where Will, Baxter and I spent all of today.

We were each thrilled to be out of the city, completely undeterred by either the weather forecast proclaiming a 'chance' of afternoon rain; or by the visible gray clouds in the sky. It turned out that we were lucky to choose this particular day since the wildlife was unusually active - scurrying about in preparation for the rain, so that we caught a glimpse of much local wildlife.

Trail at the very top of the mountain

View from trail overlooking the falls

Local wildlife at the visitor centre:
A real vulture called "Fabio" and his handler who was a little in too love with him!

A beautiful owl... I love owls, although I felt unnerved at his proximity and also at how he kept looking at my feathers. "They aren't owl feathers I promise!! Please don't bite me!!"

A rattle snake, found everywhere in the mountains... if you look close you can see the rattle on it's tail. (The photo's a bit off because I took it through glass)

At the lookout

Wills' artistic talents caught this beautiful moth...

Good for novices like me to know!

Here we are at the base of the falls

Standing literally over the fall.
Up so so high, and this is how the entire walkway was made!

The water tower back in town

2012-03-19T11:44:00.000-04:00

Given that Will travels so often, he always tries to make up for it by showing me something new before he goes away. This way, the horrible gut-wrenching feeling I get at his departure is somewhat dulled by the excitement and antisipation of a new experience; and God bless him, he really puts in an effort to think up new activities or at the very least take me to one of my favourite places.

This time, a real first for me: an authentic American gun shop. We both felt I've lived here long enough now to experience it.

Very friendly staff

I was pretty uncomfortable, but Will insisted!

Aside from the strange and somewhat unsettled feeling I had that these weren't props but actual, real weapons meant to maine or kill; the thing that greatly un-nerved me was overhearing a sales associate as he trained a girl my age, with a baby in a pram, to use the pistol that she had just purchased! It made me think, that since guns don't kill people; people do, maybe I'd be safer with a gun!... Although to Will's major disappointment, we left empty handed that day.

2012-03-12T23:45:00.002-04:00

It's raining in the city today and I'm home from work early enough to sit by an open window and enjoy the cool air and serenity that it casts over the towers and roads, before it gets too dark to see or too cold to bear.

When I was younger I couldn't stand the rain, it always put a dent in plans or ruined my hair or make up: these days I'm neither that busy or that vain; and I am loving sitting here with Baxter curled on my lap, a warm cup of tea resting on the window pane and reflecting on my life, plans and regrets; all that seem to wash away with the rain and become clearer by the moment the clouds disperse.

14th St NE Atlanta Georgia