megsadventure

First camping trip in Oz

2011-01-16T08:12:00.000Z

Camping has been a revelation - I am relaxed by the absence of technology, I get in touch with my HP while in nature and sounds such as running water remind create a peace I can not know in my apartment. The same happens for my husband. We did our first Australian camping trip in November 2010 - first stop Green Patch in Jervis Bay.

Craig went walking each morning and was meditating regularly. For me relaxing (and accepting my powerlessness) was more than enough to be grateful for.

2010-04-24T22:29:00.000+01:00

2010-04-24T08:23:00.000+01:00

Lovely Towers

2010-04-16T22:19:00.000+01:00

Everywhere I went in KL I was greeted by the lovely Petrona Twin Towers.

Autumn colours

2009-10-28T20:54:00.000Z

I wonder what my grave will look like in 300 years?

2009-10-28T17:43:00.001Z

This church is hidden in the heart of Leeds, surrounded by restaurants and shopping centres. The headstones are laid as like pavers, and moss has grown in the engraving. They look so beautiful - and some graves were 300 years old.

My favourite place to have coffee in Leeds

2009-10-28T16:48:00.000Z

Coffee at the Tiled Room, Leeds Art Gallery always cheers me up. The detail of this room is amazing, there is always something new for me to notice. The details of the walls, roof, flooring and columns are so over the top - they are beautiful in a way I normally don't appreciate.

Around Wensleydale

2009-10-27T16:02:00.000Z

The owls of Leeds

2009-10-18T19:39:00.000+01:00

I love discovering the owls that are out and about in Leeds.

Rusty Bastard

2009-10-18T17:56:00.000+01:00

There is always something new being built in Leeds, and as I walk (or drive) past the scaffolding I often wonder what will be unveiled.

The unveiling of one the newest buildings in Leeds was a surprise - it's rusty. I love the idea of rust as a decorating device and Craig and I have had a few discussions on how they've structurally protected the building and allowed the rust to develop. I've been too lazy to investigate, but if you know how they've achieved this I would love to hear.

I managed to take some pics today, and even captured some graffiti that seemed a little harsh. The building is called Broadcasting House and seems to be the home of the Arts Faculty of Leeds University.

Apparently it is also the site of an original studio of Louis Le Prince, an early pioneer in cinematology and the person who took the first moving picture, on Leeds Bridge in 1888.

2009-10-09T20:27:00.002+01:00

I went a little bathing box crazy

2009-10-09T20:10:00.000+01:00

Cromer Pier

2009-10-08T21:57:00.000+01:00

I love the romance, but also the tackiness and shabbiness of English seaside piers.

Made for walking

2009-10-08T20:39:00.000+01:00

Craig and I stopped for a coffee on the drive home at a beach coffee van and we had a quick walk across the rocky 'beach'.

People still building amazing churches

2009-09-18T20:14:00.003+01:00

Craig and I are not religious people, and we only visited the Liverpool Cathedral because they were hosting a wildlife photography exhibition, but we were so impressed by the size, beauty and magic that awaited us inside this building.

I don't feel right photographing churches on the inside, but trust me it is worth a visit. It's enormous! It left Craig and I feeling in awe of the vision of the people who built it, and those who have recently modified it to incorporate a shop, gallery and a restuarant to make it a vibrant part of the community and retaining its role as a church. I even got to light a candle for a recently deceased aunty.

And amazingly it was only finished in the 1970s.

Liver Building

2009-09-18T17:09:00.004+01:00

I think the Liver building in Liverpool is lovely, and enjoyed seeing it peeking above the other buildings as we explored Liverpool. The birds on the building is apparently a mistake, a result of a miscommunication between the client and the architect - but I like them even more for that.

Beatles mania

2009-09-15T21:40:00.006+01:00

You can't do Liverpool and not do Beatlemania - we explored Cavern Lane, The Beatles exhibition and I even took in the 4D movie at the pier head.

Indulging in the galleries

2009-09-15T21:25:00.005+01:00

Liverpool is a lovely city that celebrates its beautiful buildings and the beauty it can hold - art and history. My favourite surprise was the World Museum Liverpool where I loved their World Cultures collection, especially its artefacts from Africa, Asia and the South Pacific.

Antique Roadshow comes to Leeds

2009-09-03T20:17:00.004+01:00

On a miserable day in Leeds, eager punters queued to have their treasures appraised and to have the chance for their 5 minutes of reality TV fame. At lunchtime the queue snaked the length of the Town Hall stairs. Sadly my camera broke and I couldn't work out if I could go in and just watch, so frustrated I just headed back to work.

2009-08-28T17:57:00.001+01:00

2009-08-28T17:45:00.001+01:00

Tree + lots of rain = gorgeous beauty

2009-08-28T17:31:00.002+01:00

The imaginative people at Northumberland Water have dotted the Kielder Lake with refugees, that are also art. I loved the daring of the project.

Kielder Viaduct

2009-08-21T18:04:00.003+01:00

Disused, poorly sign-posted but lovingly looked-after Kielder viaduct.

Free Piano

2009-08-13T20:20:00.002+01:00

I love random encounters in big cities and this one really made me smile. This piano was at the end of the Millenium Bridge, and was left there to be played by anyone who wanted to. This young women was playing the most beautiful song - sadly after a long walk around London my feet were killing me and Craig was exhausted so we decided not to stay long and listen.

Getting my cultural fix

2009-08-13T20:00:00.005+01:00

Donmar Theatre at Wyndham's Theatre - June 2009

I dream of being able to get weekly doses of culture but the reality of my life (budget, location and hubby's interests) mean outings such as the theatre are rare treats. However, I have had some lovely theatre treats living in the UK, including two special productions at Wyndham''s Theatre - Madame deSade starring Judy Dench, Rosamund Pike and Frances Barber and Hamlet starring Jude Law.

The longest running production in London, the 39th steps, one stillfor me to see

London tat

2009-08-12T21:08:00.004+01:00

Liberty - like no other

2009-08-12T20:51:00.005+01:00

I have never seen a shop like Liberty - to a girl from Sydney, a shop like Liberty is like being sucked through a worm-hole back to old England. It is beautiful.

The Corn Exchange

2009-08-11T07:15:00.004+01:00

Millenium Square

2009-08-10T19:07:00.004+01:00

Perfect Piers

2009-08-09T21:29:00.006+01:00

Blackpool Tower

2009-08-09T21:15:00.004+01:00

Ferris Wheels

2009-08-09T21:04:00.007+01:00

Blackpool Disco Ball

2009-08-09T20:49:00.006+01:00

Craig's favourite discovery on this visit to Blackpool was the sculptures on the promenade, especially the giant disco ball made from hundreds of little mirror tiles.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach - water fountain

2009-08-09T20:41:00.003+01:00

Ripley castle

2009-08-09T20:26:00.003+01:00

Using the river like a beach

2009-08-09T20:06:00.003+01:00

I have never loved swimming in a river, I just don't trust the feel of dirt under my feet but when the beach is over an hour either way you make the most of what you have on a beautiful English summer day.

Wigwam Kirkby Lonsdale

2009-08-09T19:41:00.004+01:00

The wigwams were one step up from camping; there was a basic slat bed, lights and a fridge but not much else. Craig fell in love with them, and studied their structure with a view to building one in the future.

Kirkby Longsdale Bridges

2009-08-09T19:19:00.003+01:00

Ruskin's View

2009-08-09T15:03:00.003+01:00

Ruskin apparently once wrote that this was the best view in England. We were lucky to see it in such lovely weather.

Balls of Yorkshire

2009-08-09T14:35:00.004+01:00

YSP on a summer's night

2009-08-09T13:28:00.003+01:00

An invitation to a photography exhibition opening meant I finally got Craig to agree to go to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which has been on my 'to do list' for along time. We didn't get to explore as much as we liked, but he's now agreed to a return day-long visit. It is a truly perfect setting for exploring the world of sculpture.

Summer Colour

2009-08-05T20:45:00.005+01:00

Bunting will always make me think...

2009-08-05T19:27:00.004+01:00

......of little Yorkshire Towns

Pately Bridge & patriotic bunting

Ripley old world store

2009-08-05T19:17:00.003+01:00

I love the old-world feel of Ripley, so perfectly captured in the styling of the Ripley store.

2009-07-29T21:02:00.001+01:00

Camping - my favourite way to be with my partner

Blackpool Rollercoaster

2009-07-29T20:41:00.004+01:00

The Pepsi ride (I think....) at Blackpool's Pleasure Beach, which despite my attempts to pretend I was brave, scared the hell out of me.

Made (or started) in Leeds

2009-05-22T19:14:00.003+01:00

Department store Marks & Spencers - it started as a market store in the Leeds market, and then became a 1p store, probably equivalent to the £ or $2 shops of today
Spicegirl Mel B

Harewood House

2009-05-15T07:36:00.003+01:00

My patient-when-he-wants husband usually only has a stately home in him once every few months.

Last weekend I finally convinced him to take me to Harewood Home, home of the Queen's cousin and somewhere I'd visited in winter when the 'upstairs' rooms where closed.

Despite whinging about the expensive entry price, he soon settled into enjoying the visit. The grounds are extensive, especially considering it's location of 8 miles from Leeds city centre.

Capability Brown designed some of the grounds which really make the estate.

Sadly weren't allowed to take pictures inside the house, but we loved exploring the beautiful rooms and admiring the skill of craftsmen who built the house, including Chesterfield.

Blossoming Leeds

2009-04-19T19:57:00.005+01:00

Day Four - We made it

2009-04-10T15:16:00.006+01:00

The happy 10 - a great achievement for us all.

Credits:

Tour organiser: Kumuka

Day Four - Racing to the sun gate

2009-04-10T14:41:00.007+01:00

The Sun gate was packed, and avoiding other people in our photos proved difficult.

Day Two - Beyond Dead Women's Pass

2009-04-10T14:09:00.004+01:00

Not the best photo, but look close at the little offerings (piles of stones) left to the Gods. I wished I had time to leave my own.

Day Three

2009-04-10T12:11:00.017+01:00

Day Two - Dead Women's Pass

2009-04-09T22:46:00.005+01:00

The faces say it all, Robyn was really suffering.

An amzing achievement making it to the top when you feel so unwell.

Robyn as she reaches the top, her success doesn't help her feel any better. Altitude sickness is the weirdest feeling - it feels like someone has their foot on your head and is pushing down with all their force.

Smiles all round as we look down on what we have achieved.

The weather set in, so you can't see how far we climbed - but our team smiling at our success.

Now for the climb down, which Robyn's knees found almost as painful thanks to the uneven stone path.

Day Two

2009-04-09T22:25:00.005+01:00

Day One

2009-04-09T21:44:00.008+01:00

Letting the porters past

Meeting our helpers

Setting off from Km 82

2009-04-09T21:28:00.004+01:00

Words (and sayings) I had to learn in Leeds

2009-04-09T20:59:00.007+01:00

Bread cake - bread roll
Butty - bread roll
Early doors - early
Gaffer - boss
Mi Sen - myself
Nowt - nothing, not a thing
Orright - hello & how are you?
Our kid - the youngest family member, will still me called that even if an adult, even if in their twilight years
Our lad - any male relative
Our lass - as above, but a female family member or partner
Owt - anything
Twat - female genitalia (sorry!)

Sacred Valley and beyond

2009-04-05T19:09:00.006+01:00

Traditional ways

2009-04-05T18:07:00.002+01:00

Our Inca Trail Base

2009-04-05T17:47:00.002+01:00

Flamenco Dancing

2009-04-05T17:31:00.001+01:00

Dancing Girls

2009-04-05T13:20:00.003+01:00

Farming in the valley

2009-04-05T12:34:00.005+01:00

Cars of Cuba

2009-04-05T10:47:00.002+01:00

Havana City

2009-04-05T10:42:00.001+01:00

Trinidad, Cuba

2009-03-30T19:35:00.007+01:00

It is amazing the things you decide you can do when you don't really have the facts. My life's adventures are full of activities that if I really understood what I was doing, I would never have taken.

Driving from Havana to Trinidad is one such adventure. Departing Havana many hours after we intended (as the hire car we were originally given was manual, which neither my sister Robyn nor I could drive), we didn't have a very detailed map. We started badly, and after getting lost a number of times we paid a taxi driver to get us to the main freeway.

At the beginning of the freeway, he pulled us over and gave us a lecture - do not give anyone a lift, take care of the pot holes road and drive very slowly. We quickly realised what he meant about the pot holes; this was not like any freeway I'd ever driven on. It was obvious that Cuba just didn't have the money to maintain it's freeways, there were massive potholes everywhere. Luckily there were very few other drivers, so there was heaps of room to swerve to miss a pot hole if you didn't see it until the last minute.

Sign posts also seemed to be beyond their budget, so even though the road between Havana and Trinidad was pretty direct we quickly realised that we couldn't rely on the signposts. We quickly got into a routine of asking for directions, even when we thought we were on track. We wanted to make sure we were headed in the right direction. Unlike Havana, most people we came across didn't speak English, but could read it. Directions were mostly about pointing to the address we were headed to, with a reply of points from our local guides. Only the general direction could be sort.

As the skies darkened, we noticed the rolling clouds. Soon driving was made almost impossible by torrential rain. Robyn and I could barely hear each other above the noise, the windscreen wipers started to fail, and we felt entirely out of our depth.

The drive took us over 5 hours, when we'd been told it would take us 2 - 3.

And was the drive worth it?

Spring has Sprung in Leeds

2009-03-30T19:01:00.003+01:00

This weekend Craig and I walked down to Headingley for a coffee at Starbucks, via the lovely Woodhouse/ Hyde Park. We couldn't help notice how spring was blooming...

Craig's favourite breakfast - a Latte and fruit toast and jam

Colourful homes

2009-03-30T18:39:00.001+01:00

Hazy Havana Streets

2009-03-29T20:50:00.003+01:00

Doorways of Cuba

2009-03-29T20:42:00.002+01:00

Falling down & still looking beautiful

2009-03-29T20:32:00.002+01:00

In Cuba, the buildings are beautiful, even the ones that hadn’t been restored yet. Falling down, they looked like art.

My accent means I am always noticed

2009-03-29T20:14:00.002+01:00

An Australian in Leeds is not the same thing as an Australian in London, I am a bit of a rarity here. Not so rare, but not that usual. This means I am noticed more than I’d perhaps like. Shop assistants, taxi drivers, callers at work all can’t resist commenting on my Australian-ness. Sometimes even I get bored with my answers about where I am from, what Sydney is like, what I am doing in a cold place like Leeds.

It’s not that I am ashamed of being an Australian, in fact I am a passionate supporter of who Australians are, but sometimes I just want to be Megan.

It’s a little hint (and I know only a hint) of what it must be like to be a very noticeable minority.

I guess no one really things they have an accent. At the markets here, I stood beside an Irish twenty-something man who was getting served before me. As the young sales assistant handed back his change, she asked where he was from. I don't remember where he said, but she then went on to say she'd always wanted an accent. 'But you do', he said, 'it's just not Irish.' She looked at him quizzically, then she laughed and decided he was teasing her. 'Don't be silly, I don't have an accent,' and then giggled some more. He walked away very bemused that she wasn't aware that her broad Yorkshire tones were an accent.

I forget it's exercise when I walk here

2009-03-29T18:45:00.003+01:00

Bay Walk, Canada Bay, Sydney
Bondi to Coogee, Sydney
Centennial Park, Sydney
Roundhay Park, Leeds
Temple Newsome, Leeds
Woodhouse (Hyde Park), Leeds

The best meals of my life

2009-03-29T18:05:00.005+01:00

Aria Restaurant, East Circular Quay, Sydney
Astral Restaurant, Sydney Casino, Sydney (September 2007) - Chef Sean Connolly
360 Bar & Dining, Sydney Tower, Sydney (May 2007)
Anthony's Restuarant, Leeds (November 2008) - Chef Tony Flynn
Guillaume at Bennelong, Sydney Opera House - Chef Guillaume Brahimi
Le Jules Verne Restaurnat, Eiffel Tower, (March 2008) - Chef Alain Ducasse
New Angel Restaurant, Dartmouth, Devon (2006) - Chef John Burton-Race
Tetsuya's (at the original Rozelle location), Sydney December - Chef Tetsuya Wakuda

I can't remember the dates for some of these meals...

Coffee spots I love

2009-03-29T18:00:00.004+01:00

- Apetite Cafe, Redfern, Sydney
- Cafe Hernandez, Kings Cross, Sydney
- Pickles & Potter, Quuens Arcade, Leeds
- Tiled Room Cafe, Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds

Loving the London Eye

2009-03-23T19:39:00.004Z

On our March 2009 weekend Craig and I decided to overcome our reservations in doing something totally touristy and took a dusk ride on the London Eye. Before our ride, we had coffee sat next to a family who'd just got off their ride. The consensus seemed to be that the ride was only okay. I'd been on the London Eye in 2006, and apart from the long wait at the time, I mostly remembered the greyness I saw up there.

Dusk proved to be a perfect plan. We loved how London looked glittering as the dark set in. We shared our pod with only 4 other people, a family and a young women visiting from the states. Taking photos proved to be tricky as our cameras couldn't handle the low light, but this allowed us to all stand back and enjoy what we saw.

Craig was so impressed with the ride, he even bought the official photo.

Touristy things can still be winners.

My new favourite musuem

2009-03-23T11:54:00.007Z

I finally got myself to the Victoria and Albert Museum, a museum I kept skipping when I went up to London. If I had realised that they had a dedicated jewellery gallery and a photography gallery I would have got there sooner.

I loved the museum and know I'll keep going back - there is so much still for me to see. I hadn't finished seeing what I wanted to see, we got evacuated with a small fire. It made for an eventful visit.

Portobello Markets

2009-03-23T10:56:00.003Z

I no longer seem to be able to visit London with Portobello Markets - we usually stay in the Park Inn in Hyde Park as it is walking distance to the markets (and so central to other things too).

I love the colour, the interesting array of items on sale, and even the crowds. To me the markets signify everything I love about the UK - diversity, history and beauty.

I have started buying vintage jewellery there - I justify to my husband by reminding him the vintage jewellery market isn't as big in Australia as it is here, that I am just taking advantage of the opportunity of living in the UK. He doesn't really care, he is happy for me to indulge in buying things I love - oh, bless him.

It’s Redfern (or Australia) when…

2009-03-06T19:50:00.008Z

When there is an electric socket in the bathroom. The poms think that is too unsafe but Australians are happy to risk it
It’s not a shock to see a man holding another man’s hand
You can hear the rain before you see it – rain in Leeds is mostly a soft pitter patter
Someone asks about how much you’ve made on your property (a bit dated now, but still an issue)
The coffee of my choice is often a flat white

It’s assumed you’ll be paying up-front when you visit the doctor
Kilometres, metres and dollars
People order a flat-white in a coffee shop (a cross between a latte and an americano - I think)

People dial 000 when they want an ambulance, fire brigade etc. 911 is for the USA, 999 for the UK

It’s Leeds (or UK) when…

2009-03-04T20:07:00.005Z

There is a conductor on my train

The traffic lights go green, amber, red, amber green. Australian traffic lights miss the amber warning it’s going to be green next

You can park either side of the road, in any direction

Someone asks you if ‘re’ you orright’ they don’t mean are you well or sane, they are just saying hi

‘You do right’ is used to tell you they agree with you, innit is used at the end of too many sentences, and not just when the want to know if you agree, gaffer is your boss, to blag something means you’ve winged it

If someone doesn’t know your name they call you love, not mate

A tracksuit is designer – think chavs, think Jordan
Someone asks if I'm an Australian

The post is delivered on a Saturday

Page 3 of the dailies has a topless women – in 2009!

Yorkshire puddings are served with every baked dinner. Meat is well cooked, as is the veg

Thank you you’re a star, means the person saying it to you can’t think of anything to say other than the standard Yorkshire work thank you

A breadcake is a bread roll, a butty is a bread roll, peppers are capsicums

They know what street you live in by your postcode

The school year ends in July and (re)starts in September

An Asian is normally someone from India or Pakistan

You meet people who have Sir in their title.

When someone says while Monday, or while 4pm they mean until Monday or until 4pm

Make-up is a given

Blondes rule

Streets are dirty

Scum bastard – normally means someone who follws Manchester – the war of the roses continues
There are diddy (tiny) people

Measure ment is measured in miles, feet and pounds

There are no state governments

Old is 1700s not 1900s

Green rolling hills – and only 5 miles from the city

There are studentss dressed up as superhereos doing pub crawls

Mums have a buggy not a pram or stroller for babies

Pop is soft-drink

Briggate (think Pitt Street Mall) on Saturday is a sea of people

Twat is another rude way to swear at a women
People ask me directions and then after hearing my accent, are shocked I know where it is

I heart my city

2009-03-02T13:36:00.009Z

The war memorial by H V Fehr

National Geographic, as part of a story they wrote exploring favourite urban places, posted the following questions. They are a great way to uncover the hidden gems of a city and I decided to do it on my temporary city, Leeds. My City Questionnaire

Leeds is My City
The first place I take a visitor from out of town is the Tiled Room Cafe in the Leeds Art Gallery. It is a beautiful Victorian room, decorated as it sounds, with hundreds of decorative tiles.
When I crave warm healthy soup I always go to Pret A Manger - Leeds has at least 3 (http://www.pret.com/).
To escape ________ I head ___________.
If I want to buy a beautifuhand made gift I go to the Leeds Craft Centre & Design Gallery (http://www.craftcentreleeds.co.uk/)
For complete quiet, I can hide away __________.
If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the angelic figure as part of the war memorial built by H V Fehr.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from ___________ it has to be ____________.

Leeds Market is my one-stop shop for great fresh and affordable food - fruit and.

Locals know to skip ________ and check out ______________ instead.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped I go TK Maxx. Australia doesn't really have an equivalent chain, so when I firdt arrived in the UK I couldn't understand the attraction to trawling through the jumble of bargains that is TK Maxx. No I feel like it is a big treasure chest where it is up to me to seprate the costume jwellery from the truely priceless.

For a huge splurge I go Anthony's Restaurant at http://www.anthonysrestaurant.co.uk/.

Photo ops in my city include the lovely Town Hall and the best vantage points are in the lane directly opposite it.

If my city were a celebrity it'd be __________ .

The most random thing about my city is Harewood House (http://www.harewood.org/) - it amazes me such a beuatiful estate is only 8 miles from the city.

My city has the most ___________ men.

My city has the most diddy (northern slang for tiny) women. I thought I came from a short family before I moved here, now I feel almost tall.

In my city, an active day outdoors involves walking. Fifteen minutes out of the city and you are in beautiful countryside.

My city's best museum is the Leeds City Museum.

My favorite walking route is along the river/ canal, it leads to surprising places.

For a night of dancing, go to _________________.

Or, for live music, check out __________________.

_______________ is the spot for late-night eats.

To find out what's going on at night and on the weekends, read _______________.

You can tell a lot about my city from Saturdays in Briggate - everyone seems to be there shopping.

You can tell if someone is from my city if they are very dressed up for a night out in town.

In the spring you should see the blossoms around Kirkstall Abbey.

In the summer you should take advantage of the light nights and take a walk around the city admiring the beautiful Victorian stone carvings in buildings. They look such a beautiful honey colour later in the day.

In the autumn you should visit Temple Newsome - the trees make a beautiful sight.

In the winter you should skate at the outdoor skate ring in Millenium Square.

A hidden gem(s) in my city is the beautiful stone buildings.

For a great breakfast joint try Roast Café, Whitehall Riverside, Leeds.

Don't miss the Leeds festival (http://www.leedsfestival.com/) in August.

Just outside my city, you can visit the beautiful Yorskshire Dales.

The best way to see my city is on foot, it is compact enough to walk around. The free bus runs every 15 minutes, and gets me home on those days I over do the walking.

If my city were a pet it would be chihuahua.

If I didn't live in a city, I'd live in Sydney - my home.

The best book about my city is __________.

When I think about my city, the song that comes to mind is __________.

If you have kids, you won't want to miss Leeds City Musuem. It has been beautifully restored and contains an ecclectic mix of stuffed animals, old world relics and modern takes on the city. Many exhibitions have been designed to touch, so kids can explore all their senses.

_______________ could only happen in my city.

I know I have lots left to complete, but I decided to post it to remind me to keep working on it.

Six word memoirs

2009-02-10T12:45:00.005Z

Sunset over Halong Bay, Vietnam 2006

The guys at http://www.smithmag.net/ got me thinking about 6-word memoirs and I had a go at writing some about me, some about friends and some about family. Not telling who's is who...

Large families mean chaos with love
Food has meant too much pain
I found love on the internet
Sisters mean everything to me
Busy looking at others, missed me
Didn’t understand until you were gone
Sunday papers keep me reading
Determined never to be hurt again
Never realised she had any choices
Refused to accept illness, stayed sick
Not enough love left her broken
Responsibility left no room for fun
His happiness was always put last
Never learnt happiness was her responsibility

What I want to inherit...

2009-02-09T11:00:00.001Z

My aunty found this early photo of me (when I was in my 30s) - the earliest we've found. I'm the baby being held in the back row. These are all my siblings and some cousins - one of my favourite photos.

I participated in a comptetition at http://domestica.typepad.com/ today where the question was

"If you could inherit anything from a relative be it close, distant or made up (some of us need to make up our relatives), what would it be?"

The answer sprang quickly to mind for me - I'd love to inherit an old photo album. We have very few photos beyond this generation (and there isn't even a baby photo of me - my mum was an exhausted mother of 8 when I was born, me being the 4th under 5!).

My mum & Dad are from a different time when cameras were for rich people. Photos were taken by visitors, or street photographers, or were taken at formal occassions.

There are a few snaps of my grandmothers - both of whom I never met. There are none of my grandfathers. I want to see who I came from. I want to see the family physical characteristics that I and my siblings have inherited down the line.

Are my legs my maternal grandmothers fault or my paternal grandfathers? For now I have to take my Mum's word for it all. What was their fashion-sense like?

I love taking photos of my family, and watching us all grow and change. Hopefully somebody out there has a whole treasure-chest of memories of my ancestores waiting to be discovered.

City Panorama

2009-02-08T19:32:00.000Z

City View

2009-02-08T18:07:00.001Z

'I' ve got a surprise' my valentine promised, a few of my faviourite words.

My valentines' surprise was a drive to a great view he knew. I was touched with how thoughtful a gesture it was - he knew I was loving the snow, so unlike my Aussie home, and he was agreeing to allow me to take photos.

Normally he hates standing around as I fiddle with my camera, getting frustrated that I don't have the right equipment on me, or that we aren't quiet in the right spot.

He took me to a hill overlooking Halifax, and even though a lot of the recent snowfall had melted I was able to capture a few shots of a whitewashed town.

The little specs in this shot are sledders taking advantage of a hill in a park.

25 Random Things

2009-02-03T11:42:00.000Z

Someone asked me today to do a little exercise in facebook where you list 25 facts, thoughts or goals about yourself - random things that come into your head. I liked the idea and decided to replicate here:

1. I love photos from photobooths & how everyone seems to take them as permission to look silly. I think we all need some more silliness in the day. I've included some fake ones (we did them with a self timer at home and then joined together in photoshop).

2. I'm developing an obsession with miniature people, like those in expensive train sets, and I don't understand it myself.

3. My favourite place to have a coffee at the moment is the Tiled Room in the Leeds Art Gallery - and the coffee is only ok. The room is just so lovely, I sit there and wonder why we don’t build buildings like this any more.

4. Living in a rental property again has inspired me to make changes to my apartment at home.

5. I still have no clue about what I want to be when I go grow up.

6. Julia Cameron, writer of the Artist’s Way, is one of the biggest inspirations of my life.

7. Jordan and Peter Andre's reality show makes me laugh and laugh, and it makes me feel good about my relationship.

8. I only discovered yesterday that I'd always wanted to ice-skate in the snow.

9. I cut my niece Renee’s umbilical cord, and made her belly button.

10. Living in another country teaches you so much about your own country as people are constantly asking you questions you don't know the answer to - so you have to look them up.

11. I can’t believe I am 41 soon, I feel 21. I can’t believe all my nieces and nephews have grown so. There is only three left at school!

12. I can’t understand words if you spell them out loud to me.

13. I think miracles are the little small coincidences in our day, the chance meetings & the opportunities before us, that ultimately change our life.

14. I just don’t get Mariah Carey. Just lost on me.

15. I love getting mail, even if it is just bills and I love checking it each day.

16. Cats make me nervous.

17. My life goals are getting simpler and simpler, and not just because I don't think I can make them. I just seem to want less and less each year.

18. I first cried looking at art looking at a photo of Tracey Moffat's. I don't want to tell you which photo - I think it tells you too much about me.

25 is such a big number.

19. I am trying to capture the perfect photo of Leeds, but after hundreds of photos I feel a little defeated.

20. I really struggle to understand Yorkshire English some days. And apparently my Australian English can be hard to understand too.

21. I’m worried that I haven’t driven for so long that I’ll have lost my nerve when I get back to Australia.

22. It’s the little things I can miss the most here – the fish markets, Australian-style coffee especially flat whites, blue sky, people who don’t notice I’m Australian, the beach, ABC radio.

23. I can’t sing and I can’t whistle. I just don’t have the music in me.

24. I love magnolia’s, and one day I’d like to try to do a bonsai magnolia tree.

25. I’ve never watched Star Wars.

Snow Day

2009-02-02T19:48:00.000Z

Today is a special snow day - it is beautiful, white snow that is covering most of the ground. I got to spend a lot of today in the snow, including ice-skating at an open-air rink. Skating around on wobbling legs, with the wind and snow in my hair, I felt like a 10 year old. It was a special, lovely day.

Sadly my camera broke down so I don't have any new pictures. So I've posted some old snow day shots.