Last day of 2022. Welcoming the New Year.

2022 felt like a release, a revival and a time to reconnect. And throughout the year it has been just so, an ability to travel and meet with family and friends, a year when we could tentatively explore new parts of Aus and find joy in going to the theatre and concerts and organising many events once more. This amongst the ongoing war in the Ukraine, the terrible travails of the Truss government in the UK, inflation and climate change events, but the hopeful beginnings of the Albanese government here. The year has come to an end with all the boys being here with us to celebrate Christmas. What joy. Sharing good food and fine bottles of wine and many bubbles in between, days on Australia's pristine beaches and bush lands, time at home on an unusually rainy summer, playing Uno and backgammon and reading good books. 

Two head for Sydney today to party the night away. Lucky to have one with us for a few more days. A friend sent me a thank you card for the Xmas party on the 23rd - this is her card. It could not be a more appropriate message so I am sharing it with you all. 

Happy New Year Everyone - BEE HAPPY and healthy and may the year bring you all you wish for. 

Connectivity

Today I went to my local Greek shop to get some jumbo kalamata olives for the Xmas Party. It is staffed by some great women who are very helpful. I wanted something special so I approached a Chinese lady who was stocking the shelf. She could not speak English but that did not deter her, she whipped out her phone and encouraged me to speak into it, which I did and she instantly heard the Chinese translation and directed me correctly to the shelf where I found what I was looking for. I thanked her and smiled. Wow - 

I went to the till and the woman asked where I was from and I said I was Greek Cypriot - she said she was too, mother from Rhodes and father from Cyprus, a little village in the Famagusta area called Milia which is Turkish Occupied. I told her about my family in Famagusta and we bonded in some corner of West End in Oz.  

In Oz you often find big hunky cars decorated with tinsel -Its all about the seafood and the beers now. 

Two tales for today or is that three ?! 

Bookgroup - End of year 2022

 Have we read some good books?

We all agreed we had and were looking forward to reading some more in 2023 - but for the moment, it was silly hats time and some good food to be shared around the table. Aldi provided the best bons bons or Xmas Crackers for this girlie group I have ever come across and the best jokes were : 

 I am tall when I am young and I am short when I am old - what am I ? A candle.

 What do you call a cow that eats your grass ? A lawn moo- wer! 

Standouts from the year Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe, Bodies of Light Jennifer Down, Crossroads Jonathan Franzen, Elena Ferrantes The Lying life of Adults and Freezing Order by Bill Browden. Some rubbish ones along the way but we wont talk about them. Thank you to all the Wondrous Women who come along on this reading journey. More adventures await in 2023.

First day of summer - 1st Dec 2022

Its grey and wet, windy and well not very noiiice out there and there is more rain in the forecast for days to come. So it will either be a month of mulled wine and soup or Aperol spritzes and salads. Either way the Poinciana season is upon us and it screams Christmas and let's start decorating and making this city more beautiful than it already is - we shall ignore the wet - its good for the garden. 

I I took this photo yesterday while there was still a smidgen of blue in the sky... none today 

I love how trees in gardens are decorated, no need to cut any down or transport them somewhere else. Where they are growing they are glowing and that is how it should be. 

Looking back, one of my favourites from the archive, my one and only Tara looking mildly festive - and looking forward, baby Zenonas smiled for the first time for his mummy and daddy yesterday and life could not be sweeter. Boys dribbling in, the World Cup keeping us up, the Messiah, and a Very Naughty Xmas - so much to look forward to. Happy December everyone.