#9 Nothing a Beer Wont Fix

It was one of those days today – not sure why.  Nothing particularly bad, or difficult or stressful happened.  Maybe the festivities all caught up with me. Maybe it was returning to work and staying up until 2am?

It was beer o’clock earlier today and not only did I drink one to christen the stubby cooler which was the gift from Lisa and Steve to all their guests at the reception. I partook in an uncharacteristic couple – perhaps to make up for the fact I kept myself incredibly nice at the reception on Saturday.

#8 Duyfken

It’s a rare day that Dave and I can bid farewell to Dylan and set off to have quality adult time together.  We started the morning with breakfast at The Boardwalk Cafe, then out onto the Marina to go aboard the Dutch Replica Duyfken – part curiousity, part fact finding for the Captain Juan, part – well because we could. The Duyfken was a scout ship for the East India Company and as the first European ship to chart the Australian coast line.

It was fascinating – they have lots of artefacts of the time, including cannon balls and sling shots for their falconers and the smell of the wood was amazing (treated with bee’s wax, turps and tar) Plus for the $5 entry fee we were given a guided tour which included answering of all my slightly bizarre questions and got to go right down into the bowels of the ship.

I now have a very interesting narrative arc for Captain Juan and why the La G may have been in A Coruna at the start of the story being outfitted!

#7 Stick

There is a great Australian tradition of giving nicknames.  When Joss was born Karen high on the endorphins of birth, and having decided their new babe would be named Joss Tait, laughing called him “Lucky”. Not to be out done Dave greeted Joss for the first time calling him “Stick”. This is why you have to love the Godparents your own parents choose for you.

#6 Mama Mia

I took almost 200 photos today – but this ended up being my favourite (which wasn’t taken by me but by my beautiful partner David) This is my sister Lisa, my Mum Wendy and I sharing a moment at my sister’s wedding. It has been a tumultuous few years for the three of us but my sister wedding her beautiful bloke solidified our relationship in a way, which nothing else in adulthood seems to have. I tear up just thinking about it.

For those Facebook friends interested in looking at the other wedding photos – they are slowly being uploaded to albums there.

#5 Endless

This is the corridor from hell.  I had a moment whereby I thought I was stuck in the hotel from The Shining.  All those doors and a corridor which seemed to go on forever. It’s actually the way to the hotel suite I’m staying in tonight with my Mum, my nephew and neice in preparation for my sister’s wedding tomorrow.

Relieved to finally snap a “lighting” shot – after seeing all the groovy ones Ben’s been taking.

#4 Beginnings

Today we’re celebrating a week of having Joss Tait with us.

This time last week I was with my soul sister, my little brother and my Goddaughter enjoying the arrival of a little boy into our extended families. Joss was born in the loungeroom of his home, by candlelight, with his Dad, big sister, his Mum’s midwife and me in attendance. I look forward to sharing more of the photos from the birth to show the beauty, the powerful and the peaceful nature of homebirth AND why homebirth is the gold standard of maternity care.He arrived after two and a half hours of active labour.

As an aside, found out today a writer I’ve just started working with, is also a homebirth Mum.

#3 Finishing

Today we went to the beach and I goofed around trying to take artsy photos of my feet disappearing in the sand, of the waves dribbling in and all of that.  But today was really marked by finishing The Time Travellers Wife for the second time.

In this picture I’m sitting at a picnic table by the beach reading (and trying hard not to cry in public because it might be OK to laugh out loud on a Melbourne train while reading a Nick Earls book, but there is probably something creepy about bawling your eyes out while reading in a public space) with the onshore breeze cooling my damp bikinis (and equally damp dress) while Dylan played on some play equipment. We’d not long gathered all of our stuff from the beach, where we’d been lying in the shade of a huge tree and frolicking in the sea.

I can’t remember the last time I read a book on (or near) the beach.  Bliss!