Busy

 

 

 

 

Pretty peonies on my coffee table...

The glorification of "busy" has affected my life beyond measure.  How are you?  Busy!  Busy to see you, busy to go for a walk, busy to take the dog to the groomer.  Busy.




Time to make a change.  One should always find the time to do what's important to them.

Notes from Noosa

 I suppose it's fair to say that for the 11 years that I lived so close to the world's most amazing beaches I took it for granted.  When I moved away and began being tortured by the cold, I really began to miss it and eagerly awaited every chance to go back home.  6 years later, I still feel the same.   One of my favourite places to spend a couple of days on holidays is Noosa (but Byron Bay still comes first).  Noosa is simply beautiful, although can at times get hot due to being shielded in an inlet and can often be overrun by families and screaming children.  If it's not your scene, avoid the school holidays.  Or invest in some good headphones.

It has been a while since I stayed at a hotel, as I typically avoid them.  I don't enjoy paying a surplus to be harassed by overenthusiastic staff, turn down services and bell boys (as nice as being fussed over is, I prefer being left to my own devices).  I chose to stay at Noosa Heads Motel - a private and very reasonably priced accommodation, a short walk away from all the action.

The hours spent swimming, reading and walking did me a world of good.  There is nothing better than a beach holiday.

Early morning, post swim coffee at Bistro C

Sickly sweet and over indulgent serving of pancakes at Bistro C

Late night walk

Cooling off in the shade on a hot afternoon

My two lonely holiday purchases - new havs and a jewllery pouch

Cooling off with a coconut on Hastings Street

Arabian Threads caftan (a wonderful Etsy buy) and a Roberto Cavalli for Target bikini

Recent purchases - Zimmerman Summer

I think I am the most prolific out of season shopper in the universe. Each new season creeps up on me much too fast and before I know it we've moved on and I have nothing new to wear.

Case in point is my new bikini and tank top. But at least they were drastically reduced, right?

Getting away from it all

While some people prefer to end the year on holidays, I prefer to begin the year on rest. To rewrite my budget, recharge and set some goals and projects.

It's been 17 blissful days, spent mostly disconnected and for the first time in a while I did not access my work email. I was close, but I didn't.

I saw the above picture online yesterday and it absolutely described my actions. Things were hard and I ran away. And you know that's not always a bad thing. I didn't sleep much at all I'm afraid, but I felt so rested. I swam for hours each day, and hiked and walked in the stifling heat. My muscles hurt for the first time in ages, but my head didn't. I tried to absorb my surroundings. When your days are centred around reading, writing, swimming, walking and thinking, it's a bit hard to want it to end even if you're physically exhausted. Maybe the physical activities helped me to rest my mind.

I did my very best to pack light. I hadn't done any shopping leading up to summer, so packed the small selection of my old colourful favourites and took off. My tip is to always take about half of what you think you need. Being bogged down by things on holidays is no fun.

Things didn't get off to a great start due to being rushed to the airport and a few things I thought I couldn't live without we're left behind (Moroccan oil and GHD I'm looking st you), but you know what, I managed just fine.

At least my carry on was perfect - Sugar lip balm, Aesop hand cream, a big scarf to fight off the cold climate control, Tripit app updated and synced, new book to read and eye drops.

Outta town

Flying is all about loose layers. Comfortable and cool and able to be warmed up when the air con hits unbearable.

I'm off for 2 weeks of swimming, running, beaching and smelling the roses in the company of loved ones.

And a happy Christmas to all my Orthodox readers. Христос се роди x

2013

This year I will be

- more organized. My bag won't look like this on a Friday morning
- I will take time to smell the roses
- I will celebrate
- I will fear less
- I will question more
- I will say no more often
- I will double my water intake
- I will Skype my grandma
- I will file my paperwork
- I will read every email
- I will unsubscribe from a million more mailing lists
- I won't use a chair to hold my clothes. That's what a wardrobe is for
- I will declutter my skin care and make up, like I did my clothes
- I will get an iPad
- I will blog my thoughts more frequently
- I will read better quality literature
- I will turn my phone off more often
- I will not be afraid to disconnect
- I will spend more time outdoors, even if I have to wear a ski jacket to do it
- I will delete old contacts from my phone
- I will reduce expenses, so I need less but have more

I will...