Welcome to Another Weekend Coffee Share!
How are you? What have you been up to lately?
Here in Australia, if you’re lucky we have our extended Summer holidays here in Australia during January and in so many spheres, the place comes to a grinding halt, unless you live in a tourism hotspot, which we sort of do. We live at Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast and there’s a local caravan park, in particular, which attracts tourists. So, we’ve done our share of dodging idiots on E bikes on the footpaths.
We have also been away. We’ve been up to the Byron Bay hinterland staying with Geoff’s sister and husband for a few weeks. The “we” these days includes, Geoff and the kids who are about to turn 22 and 20. As you could imagine, it’s not as easy to get away as a family these days, but we managed to pull it off. We are so grateful we could get away and spend mostly good times together and create those all-important memories and cement all the connections we’ve established through the years. We have been staying there and catching up with Geoff’s family at least once a year and it’s our home away from home.
The part of Australia is exceptionally beautiful and very popular. Byron Bay is the Eastern most point of continental Australia and home to a stroking lighthouse which has a stunning view of the sunrise on a good day. For years, Byron was known as hippy heaven and back in the day, rows of Kombis with surfboards on the roof used to be parked beside the beach. Over the years, it’s been yuppified and there’s been quite a cultural shift. Yet, there’s still remnants of its former glory especially at the markets. You can also find more of the hippy element in surrounding towns like Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby and further out at the Hippy capital, Nimbin. There’s a strong art and music community and probably writers as well, although they’re harder to spot. With our daughter studying floristry and into gardening, we also checked out a lot of plants and bought quite a few home. We particularly love Beehive gingers and Ginger Lillies and we brought a few plants home.
While we were there, we shot across the border into Queensland and visited a fantastic arts complex, Home of the Arts which includes live entertainment and big shows along with an art gallery complex. We were very fortunately because an exhibition by iconic Australian artist, Ken Done, was on. He was incredibly famous when I was growing up for his Australiana art which was turned into all sort of products from t-shirts through to bedding and goodness knows what. He used to be EVERYWHERE especially during the 80’s and I had a Ken Done doona cover…the height of fashion. Being so commercial, has also been a bit of a slur and his work isn’t always taken seriously. However, we really appreciated the chance to view a larger and more eclectic body of his work to realize just how talented he is. Done, btw, lives in Mosman, right on Sydney Harbour and he’s done some magnificent painting s right there in his personal paradise which we really loved.
While we were away we also received some very sad, but not unexpected news. Our beloved dog, Lady, passed away. She came to us when she was two and she was in her 15th year. I’m not sure whether all dogs are characters, especially beyond their own dear owner’s loving eyes. However, all of ours have had their foibles and legendary stories. Lady had her heyday when we used to visit my parents’ the holiday house at Palm Beach. We had so many adventures, some involving the kids and others just Lady and myself.
Top of the list was when Lady risked life and limb going onto the busy road to either catch a rabbit or retrieve some road kill. She brought it back to where I was chatting with a German backpacker and the skinned and ate it right in front of us. As a city girl, I was absolutely shocked and aghast. My pretty, fluffy black dog was a killer! Having come from a farm, she was very much a hunter and that very same day, found a dead fish on the beach and rubbed it into her fur like perfume to conceal her scent. That took a few baths to clear up. On a more fun note, we also went out with us in the kayak and seemed to enjoy it. Having been with us for 13 years, she’d also seen our kids grow up and that was very special and I really feel a deep sense of loss at the loss of an era. Our “kids” are now almost 22 and 20! Time sure flies by! Fortunately, we still have “the pups”…Rosie and Zac. However, they are now eight and not forever young. Sadly, time with our dogs passes oh too quickly.
That’s about all I have time for today. Hope you are well.
This has been another contribution to the Weekend Coffee Share hosted by Natalie the Explorer.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 