I was intending to collate the remaining Canberra iphone pix into one post, but this proved way too indigestible, so I’m going to eke them out a bit (and don’t even mention the DSLR pix!)

Anyway … the Nation’s capital. Don had been harassing me to take a day off from work for a while, because I really did need a mental health day. But I kept putting it off because, well self-care tends not to be too high on my Action Items list. Eventually he said, “we’re going to Canberra, take a day off”, and verily I did.

In summary, we had some very good food and wine, had an excellent (but too brief) catch-up with the ever-fabulous anyresemblance and a good wander about. The weather was gorgeous – it was a couple of degrees colder than in Sydney, but it was a lovely crisp type of cold, not the sort of damp cold that seeps into your bones that we’re used to.

When I visit a place I always spend a good deal of time imagining what it would be like to live there. Canberra is funny because we are very much, “I could never live here” and yet it has pretty much everything that would align with our lifestyle (well except actual jobs we could do!) – excellent food, great cycle and running paths, golf, everything in very close proximity, totally walkable (though no-one actually walks), decent weather &etc. To be honest, we very rarely actually take advantage of what Sydney has to offer – but we’re not getting out any time soon!

xxx

So on with the trip. We decided we’d take the back roads in the home of encountering some quaint ye olde towns (which if you’ve been reading along, didn’t happen).

Don was navigating, so drew up directions (much better than panzo’s GPS). It worked a treat, but we’d have loved an old skool hardcopy map!

I generally do the driving when we’re on winding roads else I’ll be sitting in the passenger seat with my head in a bag.

xxx

Before we left, we stopped for breakfast the pig and pastry.

I had way-too-strong coffee and an excellent breakfast pot of bircher muesli, toasted muesli and berries.

xxx

The drive was uneventful, entertainingly pretty much every small town was prefaced by “historic”, so I’ve taken to using this in every day life: “historic Petersham”, “Historic Newtown” &etc.

We probably should have stopped more along the way because I was quite stiff and sore on arrival. And I could have taken more photos, because the several hundred I have now is clearly not enough.

xxx

We arrived safe and sound to the many very pleasing rugs in the foyer at our hotel

Our room was very good – quite traditional, comfortable decor. Brilliant bath. I don’t know what it is about the beds in Hyatt hotels, but I am really keen to make one my own. Such fabulous, peaceful sleeping! Though maybe that was because I didn’t have to fight for space with a certain kitty.

xxx

After we settled in and grabbed lunch, we set out for a walk and encountered a poor lost teddy on the footpath.

And then wandered about a bit, took a bunch of photos with the DSLR and took a quick trip around the national gallery.

don’s fave

this is constructed from bondage gear! there are all manner of dildos and gimp masks and whips and such!

trying to be artsy

I always like visiting, though just between you and me, I prefer the NGV.

End part one.

heart on the footpath outside thepalace(oflove)

For the first time in an age I did not spend Monday all dim-witted, nor did I spend it surly, nor was I a flattened version of mynormally buoyant self. I put this down to taking a hiatus on the booze (yes, again).

This dim-witted flatness on Mondays would occur even when not a drop of alcohol touched my lips on a Sunday. I think the lingering effects of drinking (and not actually drinking that much) in general resulted in a bit of fog and grump. Malaise if you will.

I have observed the effects of alcohol on my mood, energy and productivity before, but the Monday-specific thing was a whole new phemomenon.

After an alcohol-free week, I am chock-full of vim and vigour and I actually feel like I might make it out tomorrow morning for a run before work.

I really do need to pay attention to this – perhaps in the form of signs all over the house, because it doesn’t seem to be sinking in. I think it boils down to acknowledging that when I chose to drink (which I definitely will on occasion) it comes with a trade off.

I’m just very glad to have a bit of bounce back!