On a Monday morning...

Teenagers can be pretty funny.

This morning, I saw these five teenage girls from the local private school making their way down the hill to the station. They were doing the usual "I'm a rebel on the way to school" things: loitering, gossiping and stopping only to adjust their enormous backpacks that were slung down way low, past their bottoms.

But, rather than doing the ordinary "walk" to school, they had organised to ride their retro scooters, in single file down the street. One of them also had a stereo peeking out from her backpack and 80's music was shouting out. They coasted. They stuttered over bumps. Breezy, harmless, silly, easy fun. Adults smiled out of the corners of their mouths. It was a pretty nice way to open a Monday.

A photo (although the scooters are a little hard to see):

Mid September Weekender...

Last Friday, it was my sister's 27th Birthday:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRRR!!

On Saturday, Man from Mars came up and we all went out for a birthday lunch at the Deus Cafe. Part cosy weekend cafe, part motorcyclist's haven, this lovely joint screamed artsy quirk and excellent food. Some photos just so you get the gist:

My sister in her "how country road is my outfit today" gear:



Wall art:


Man from Mars pulls a move:

My sister and I:

Awesome food. Man from Mars wanted the pie, but they ran out. So he got "the best fush and chups I've had in my life":

After lunch my sister and I fooled around with bike helmets while Man from Mars scored a new t-shirt:

This is what the outside of Deus looks like- a giant spraypainted motorbike!

... And a giant walk to work off our meal. Flowers blooming against the best backdrop in the world:

Man from Mars' long overdue trip-

End of the day:

The weekend is over, Man from Mars is back in Melbourne, my sister is back in Glebe. If I didn't have these photos, I swear it could've all been a blink and you'll miss it dream!

Hope you all have a splendid week.

Do-over!

Poor driveway builder, he didn't realise that council regulations have changed and the gradient requirements that were in 2004 are no longer. Yep that's right, he had to re-do all the work he's done up until now.

Add to that the pouring rain, the general dissatisfaction that comes with having to re-do anything that you've tried your best at the first time around and you have:

"Frustration" said our driveway builder.

What an understatement. If that happened to me, I think I'd spend a good 24 hours boycotting the driveway, the weather and the general order of the world. Then I'd get down on my knees, look up beseechingly towards the sky and cry:

Why, world, whyyyyy!

The conundrum of the clumsy parker

My driveway deserves a medal for perseverance. For decades, it has fought tooth and nail against the roots of the rubber tree which has pushed it upwards, inwards and finally caused it to crack. A giant fissure like an upside down V. Like this: ^

This morning, my driveway got a makeover, and as a result all three cars "evacuate(d) the driveway! (sing to the tune of "Evacuate the Dancefloor! by Cascada, thanks).

That was easy enough, but this evening when I got home, it took three rounds around my street for me to find a nice place to park. All because I kept missing the nice place to park the first two times.

I blame it on the dark. And I blame it on the orange siren lights on top of the skit. And I blame it on my poor night vision. And I blame it on the distracting work men watching me circle around 3 times, looking increasingly confused each time I came around. Like, whatever! Have you never seen a clumsy parker attempting to park in the dark?

The third and final time they waved to me. That wave you do when someone lets you in on a bumper to bumper road: raise arm, straight palm, finger fingers evenly spread, then down. I acknowledged their acknowledgment with a toothy grin, my own straight palm wave and ventured up the newly smooth driveway, and into the house.

Spring has sprung...

Spring has officially sprung.

Sun streams into my room at 6:30am; the days are longer. The sky is blue; leaves are returning to trees. The sun is a little hot; but nicely toasty. My black turtleneck is sometimes inappropriate when I'm meandering mid-afternoon; but lovely and cosy when I'm sitting in the shade.

Such are the symptoms of spring.

Today Miss Ebae and I wandered around the Rocks like real Ajumas (korean for older ladies- they generally walk very slowly and rest frequently on benches, while proclaiming "why, my legs are so sore!"). We pretended to be tourists visiting Circular Quay for the first time, and took a number of photos to mark the occasion. We lunched at a sidewalk cafe, watched the Rocks fashion show which starred everyday girls and the odd boy as catwalk models, witnessed New Zealand traditional dancing and got free cupcakes.

It was a scrumptious spring day and I suspect the day will end with a Seinfeld marathon.

In other news, Ms CalmFarm had her last day at work on Wednesday. A positive move and a timely change- but nonetheless:

WE'LL MISS YOU MS CALM FARM!

And to finish it off, some photos from today: Contortionist street performer

Spring in the City

Rocks Fashion show displaying the Rocks Markets' talent



The National Costume which Miss Universe Australia wore




Old school post box



Rocks markets on a lovely spring day



Tour groups going on history tours around the Rocks. Costumes and all.

Sail patterns

New Zealand traditional dancers

Miss Ebae and me:

My new Paris locket from the Markets