We’re really keen to make the most of these holidays and get some exercise in every day. Mostly this is in the form of bike rides, runs (for me) and golf (for Don), but yesterday, just to mix it up (and to celebrate our 8 year wedding anniversary), we chose hiking.

It had been an age since our last planned hike in January 2016 – though we did have an unplanned hike in Kyoto which I’ve yet to post about (one add that to the very long list of blogging backlog). Note to self: we need to get in some non-summer hikes!

Don selected Walk 47: Waterfall to Heathcote via the Bullawarring Track from our aged copy of Sydney’s Best Bush, Park and City Walks – a 12.2km walk rated medium, slated to last 5 hours. Per the last hike from this book, I think the medium rating is a bit bonkers. In the first part of the walk there were quite a few precarious rocky ascents and descents and the path was often quite over-grown and spiky. I’m really curious to see what constitutes hard.

Map (thanks sportstracker). In my recent continuing difficulties with technology, this paused itself for part of the way – I suspect for maybe 1km(ish).

Gorgeous day, hot but not too unbearably hot (about 27oC). Overall very enjoyable, though the scenery was pretty samey – I generally prefer something a little more diverse. I bought new hiking boots after the last hike and I wish I’d gone for the bigger size – my toes are definitely feeling it today and that dodgy ankle of mine is currently undergoing ice-ing. Don has backed up incredibly well with nary a pain – this is a bit galling as I thought I was the fitter one.

Approximately 87,000 photos follow – roughly in order of hiking. I’m saving the 43,000 photos of flora for another post.

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Snacks! We probably should have taken either another protein ball each or some trail mix or nuts or something.

We also should have taken a little more water than we did. We took about 2.5 litres, 4-5 litres would have been better.

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We drove to Heathcote station and caught the train to Waterfall to start, mostly so we could finish at the car and not have to wait for a train back. Our future selves would thank us for this.

Locating the parking area was not the easiest thing in the world – quite badly signposted. Cue jokes about The Shire not welcoming outsiders.

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Spotted on the walk from Waterfall station to the start of the path. They clearly like their sport in this street.

Slightly too tall cricket stumps on the recycling bin.

Wobbly goal post made from pvc pipe.

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And so it begins.

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An example of a relatively easy section of the trail, we had just clambered down this slope.

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Helpful directions – actually were pretty helpful.

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Some of the less overgrown sections of the first half. Hi Don!

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There were several precarious ascents and descents on the way, generally lovely watery bits to gaze upon after descents.

There were people camping here are and there. This made me plot how we could get some camping in (even though we totally won’t). Would the double air mattress fit in the back of panzo so we wouldn’t need a tent?

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Half way up a one of those hills. I paused to take this shot and re-tie my shoelace.

Don thought the shoelace things was a good idea, lifted his foot onto the rock I was sitting on and discovered … a very fat leech feasting on his ankle.

We really need a wee first aid kit for the back-packs. As it was, I quickly googled leech removal and flicked it off with a stick. Fortunately the sock stuck to the wound and prevented too much bleeding.

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We stopped for lunch at the lovely Battery Causeway which was at roughly the halfway mark.

The pond had hundreds of tiny wee fishies who nibbled at our hands and feet. It was amazing! My favourite bit of the hike by far!

Behold – sad, pale cankles in all their swollen glory!

It was really quite beautiful and restful and I would have liked to have sat about longer – and I would have rather enjoyed a swim with those tiny fish.

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Hiking tips: Don’t wear a thick woollen hat in summer, don’t wear a running singlet unless you want your arms scratched to the whatever.

And buy hiking shoes that are the right size for your feet. Ouch!

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The path then changed dramatically and we walked on a quite wide track alongside a Giant Pipeline. I actually think we kind of preferred this – something other than relentless bush! And my feet and right ankle were really quite over clambering up and down giant rocks.

Advance scouting party:

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Still some very nice nature about:

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By the time we were finished, we were totally ready for the bunkhouse.

The hike finished by walking through a Scout Camp, which resembled some sort of kidnappy, prison compound.

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Next up, many pretty flowers.

heart on the ground

I really can’t quite believe I achieved this!^{note 1}

I’ve never managed posting for even a month straight before (as those ancient attempts at nablopomo^{note 2} will attest).

Overall it’s been an interesting exercise. I’ve definitely phoned it in on occasion (often literally – thank TheUniverse for the wordpress app) just to achieve the daily posting goal, which I wouldn’t necessarily done before.

And I feel like this project has had the effect of me posting less stuff than I did previously. Prior to this I either tended to wrap multiple things up into a single epic post or I’d post multiple times a day as thoughts struck me. For a year I’ve done neither and so have rather a backlog of things to write about, things I was saving for a daily post, but never got around to. I realise I could have stacked and scheduled them – and I sometimes did this, but I don’t think I’m that organised. Expect some epic combined posts or multiple daily posts in our futures.

So, will I keep it up?

Possibly not, but it has been a good discipline, so maybe yes. Decisive, that’s me!

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^{note 1} Disclaimer: there were 3 days where I posted so late as to be considered the next day – but I am still counting this as achieved! My project, my rules!

^{note 2} Wow! I had no idea nablopomo was still a thing!

The Ruthless Decluttering continues, not exactly apace, but occasionally I attack a stash of things.

I spent a bit of Christmas Eve grabbing documents from, then wiping elderly hard-drives (mostly from old laptops) and an ancient (and huge) ipod, ready for the next e-waste drop-off day.

Amazing how 30gb seemed such a massive amount of storage at one point!

I have three more drives to go, but I … ummm … Ruthlessly Decluttered the necessary IDE cable and need to get myself another.

Ooops!

So about those festive Xmas drinks …

First up, I freestyled with the half pot of rapidly cooling tutti fruity tisane I had sitting on the counter.

Half tisane, half soda water, a small bunch of slightly smooshed mint leaves and ice.

It was pretty darned excellent.

Will definitely have this again – except that like most of my T2 favourite tisanes, this one was a limited edition and therefore vanish as soon as you’re hooked.

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While enjoying my tutti-fruity concoction, I was madly googling for other mocktails and came across sober julie and the Raspberry Mint Julep

I had a couple of raspberries in the freezer (from Bessie’s birthday cheesecake – which is a post for another time), had some mint in the garden and I ran down to the servo around the corner to grab some ginger beer. As an aside, I’d not had ginger beer before – it’s actually a pretty nice mixer.

This was really incredible. Such a good drink! I loved it so much I bought a packet of frozen raspberries and ginger ale at the grocery store today.

I also grabbed a bunch of ingredients for other drinks – including pineapple juice, crushed pineapple for coconut cream for virgin pina coladas – which I’m going to give a whirl tomorrow.

This is actually pretty fun!

Hey, hey it’s Xmas Day!

We’re having a very weird Christmas this year and not doing anything traditionally festive at all. Joan is in Columbia, babies having big family Xmas in the suburbs, we’re not really going crazy on the gifting, have no (even minimal) decorations and no insanely complicated and time-consuming Christmas feast. Yeah, it’s odd – and very peaceful, but odd.

And (big and), I’m not drinking. In years past, I would have had a few festive champagnes at this point, it does feel a little strange not to. But I have mint, I have sugar, soda water, limes, lemons – virgin mojitos here I come. Unfortunately I forgot to pick up a set of cocktail animals and/or umbrellas, but I’ll see what I can come up with.

To mix it up a little and maybe create some new traditions, we decided to kick the morning off for a short bike ride. I think we both would have loved an Epic Christmas Ride (next year please), but we haven’t been riding a whole lot since we came back from Japan, those colds really knocked us about a bit and it all really shows on our fitness (and fatness) levels.

We diverted a just little from our usual routes and of course with new things to see there was nothing for it but to go crazy taking photos.

#nofilter – crazy beautiful morning

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more #nofilter

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The remainder don’t have filters either, but there’s not so much sparkle.

This was a wee lookout, I’m not quite sure why you’d want to gaze upon this, but to each their own.

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We rode across this bridge which took us to the other side of the canal and along the road past the airport.

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Exciting because we do very much like planes and industrial airporty type things.

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I don’t know why, but I find the name Nigel Love Bridge highly entertaining.

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Containers in the distance!

I have taken photos of these before from another angle (well, probably not these exact containers)

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Our route. 17.2km – not hugely far for us, but our fitness is WAY down.

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I very much hope that you’re enjoying whatever it is you’re doing!

December was all about Binge Reading!! And carrying the kindle with me everywhere – reading while doing the dishes, folding laundry, cooking &etc.

As anticipated, I stopped reading Ulla-Lena Lundberg: Ice because it was going to a depressing place that I had no time for – my mellow not needing to be harshed right now.

Rather than seek out something new, I thought I should get onto the rest of the books sitting untouched on BelovedKindle-y (he really needs a name).

✪ Peter Corris: Salt and Blood – Cliff Hardy 25 Bought 26 July 2015(!) for $1.93.

WHY DID NO-ONE TELL ME ABOUT THESE NOVELS?!?! I mean, I was kind of aware they existed, but knew next to nothing apart from a vague awareness that they were set in Sydney. The private investigator protagonist is of the crusty, pragmatic, thoughtful, unlucky in love, not-quite-heart-of-gold, law-bending, often-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-police, justice-seeking type. Much boozing, fighting, occasional shooting – you know the sort of thing.

What absolutely made this for me is that the Cliff Hardy character lives in Glebe – pretty much around where we lived. And his office is located a block away from where I lived with Fenton in 2001-2003(ish). I don’t know what it is, but I really get a kick out of books set in familiar locations “I know that street!”, “hey, that’s our pub!”.

I drank some wine and felt almost instantly better the way you do, although the alcohol hasn’t had time to get into the bloodstream. The taste promises that it will and promises are soothing in themselves right up until they’re broken.

✪ Peter Corris: The Marvellous Boy – Cliff Hardy 3 Purchased in the buying frenzy of 23 June 2016 – not having remembered buying the one above (this is how bad my kindle library is).

A little dated, a little more gritty and a little less delightful. Made me continue from #25, rather than starting back at #1. Still full of glorious bits though.

I could see a big garage at the end of the drive which held a brace of European cars.

I passed the dark, satanic chimneys that landmark St Peters.

✪ Peter Corris: Master’s Mates – Cliff Hardy 26 So now I was hooked and the real bingeing began!

This one partially set in Noumea! Hey, I know these places too!

He didn’t resist and I dumped him on the third bottom stair the way you handle a bag of clothes destined for St Vinnie’s.

I brushed the leaves and unidentifiable pollution from one of the two deck chairs. Word, this is my life – though I’m mostly hosing unidentifiable pollution from things.

✪ Peter Corris: The Coast Road – Cliff Hardy 27. Readable, engaging. No highlighted passages for this one.

✪ Peter Corris: Taking Care of Business – Cliff Hardy 28 (Cliff Hardy Cases). This was a collection of short stories, which I didn’t realise initially and was getting annoyed in the way that you do when there are inconsistencies across a series of books (just me?). Even when I realised what it was, I wasn’t a huge fan of this – killer quotes though:

“Name it, mate”. Like most Americans, he couldn’t get the accent or the rhythm right and I mentally deducted points for his even trying. It’s taken Don 14 years to not sound silly saying “mate”.

“What’s wrong in Petersham?” I asked. “Everything”.

and drove into Melbourne along the freeway that always looks to me to be congratulating itself. Hey, Sydney, it seems to say, bet you wish you’d arranged things like this.

✪ Peter Corris: Saving Billie – Cliff Hardy 29. It was readable, but again not a huge fan. I feel like there was a sweet spot for these novels and we’ve moved ever-so-slightly beyond it.

✪ Peter Corris: The Undertow – Cliff Hardy 30. Nope. Pretty odious characters all ’round. It was Still persisting in search of the earlier magic.

✪ Peter Corris: Appeal Denied – Cliff Hardy 31. I’m beginning to feel like I’m flogging a dead horse. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it as I did with the earlier books. Perhaps the result of the binge?

Do you two city types understand that I’d never really been to Sydney at all? You can’t imagine what growing up in the west(ern suburbs) is like. You know the water’s that way and the mountains are over there, but they don’t seem to have anything to do with you. You wouldn’t think this is true, but it totally is.

✪ Ooops … I appear to have skipped purchasing #32.

✪ Peter Corris: Open File – Cliff Hardy 33. Yeah, I didn’t really care for this either. Interesting concept of reviewing a past case, but yeah, no. I felt like it didn’t really fit in too well with the overall arc of the series – almost like filler because the author couldn’t really decide what to do next.

Because my love was on the wane, and the acquisition of the Cliff Hardy canon was beginning to mess with the Extreme(Moderate)Fruagilty project, I stopped (for now) and moved on to …

✪ Matthew FitzSimmons: The Short Drop. Another purchased in the sale frenzy of 23 June 2016. This was a bit of a page turner, slightly preposterous. Not too bad at all. Still deciding whether to go for the next in the series.

✪ Sue Monk Kidd: The Secret Life of Bees Eeep – purchased 10 October 2015! Not on sale, but it was on all sorts of lists and I thought I should mix it up a bit (I really must quit with the digital hoarding). Charming and very sweet. Heartwarming even.

✪ Tracy Crisp: Black Dust Dancing. From my most excellent Imaginary Internet Friend adelaide from adelaide. I meant to read this when it was first published (in 2009!), but you know how I am with actual paper books. Finally found a digital version on amazon (hurrah!) in July 2015, but kept forgetting I had it. It’s pretty great and absolutely captures people and place. She’s a very good writer, you should read this. Really. I’m not just saying that.

✪ Wrapped up Willard Spiegelman: Senior Moments – Looking Back, Looking Ahead while lounging in a deck chair on the upper balcony enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. Delightfully curmudgeonly toward the end. Quite amazing as it made me briefly consider reading poetry. Briefly. (I know – I’m a complete philistine).

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Xmas Eve and I have yet to decide on my holiday reading. In the name of frugality I think I’ll try to stick to what I have bought already, there’s still quite a few on the to-be-named-kindle to plough through.

I escaped from SML at a very human time of 1pm today, snuck in a quick hair-cut, grabbed a couple of bits and pieces and then home for a glorious nap. 

The nap was totally unplanned, I lay down on the bed for a second to read my ipad and woke up an hour later. Sleep well needed, I was utterly exhausted. What a week!

After I woke up I had the genius idea to drag out a camping chair (not used since April 2012 and only used twice), set it up on the top balcony, make a pot of tea and read in the late afternoon sunshine. 

It was pretty great! The chair is surprisingly comfortable, and there is something about just sitting and reading outside that is incredibly relaxing. 

This is definitely something I’m planning on repeating in the break. I really do need to get on that ActionItems list.

bad photos – will clean up when I’m at the Laptop.

In addition to the all hands Xmas party, SML generously decided kick in some cash for team lunches, with instructions to take an afternoon off for same.

My teensy team had planned ours for the 16 December, but had to cancel at the last minute because of [big project reasons].

Right we said, let’s do 22 December when it should be a lot quieter and everything will have wound down.

Ha! We got to today and acknowledged that lunch and afternoon off was never going to happen because of [big project reasons].

We’re now scheduled for 25 January, when the current phase of [big project] will be over.

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I have never ever been so crazy-busy at work in the week before Xmas. It’s actually great and I’m enjoying it a good deal, but at the same time it’s just bonkers.

As a consequence, my head is all over the place. So over the place that this morning I bought a single-use train ticket – because I could not find my travel pass in my wallet. After I scanned the single-use, I went to put it in the pocket of my skirt – and found the travel pass (which I must have put in there on the way, but had no recollection of doing so). 

Then I got to work and was scrambling through my bag looking for my SML pass to enter the lift, colleague came along and so I tail-gated her – when we reached our floor, she scanned me in, I put my hand in my pocket and … (you guessed it) … work pass (which I must have put in there on the way from the train to the office,  but had no recollection of doing so).

Eeeeeep.

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Last day tomorrow! Allegedly a half-day, but I suspect I will be there until 6pm.

Saturday – napping!

Divisional Managers lunch this afternoon and I was able to obtain a festive and delicious non-alcoholic drink!

Virgin mojito FTW!

This was one of those seemingly random occasions where I had to justify not drinking. A bit of ‘you won’t be able to keep it up”, “why don’t you have a sip of my [random cocktail]?” And the  always popular interrogative “just how bad was your drinking anyway?”. (Answer: not at all bad)

This is kind of crazy, as it has been a really long time (years) since I’ve had an alcoholic drink at a work event.

Then everyone decided to reminisce about dunken episodes from my past, like that one time I cried at an end of financial year party, or that one time I went to sleep with my head on a table. Scandalous!

I do like these people very much, but HolyGoodness they can be tedious!

Two days.

The sky was rather crazy tonight, as evidenced by the two photos below, taken seconds apart:

to the north

to the south west

Rain would have been very welcome, but nothing eventuated.

I’ve spent most of my down-time futzing around with my laptop (or the wireless access point) to try to improve my internet connection, which even after reinstalling windows is still pretty flakey. I do have a couple more things to try, but man! the whole endeavour is time consuming and exhausting! And not occasionally frustrating.

I’ve never known the week before Christmas to be quite so intense work-wise. I feel super-run down and look forward to a good deal of self-care during the break. Neither Don nor I feel like we’ve properly recovered from our colds, so there are a lot of nurturing activities in our futures. Only a mere three days to go and then rest!

And Action Items lists – definitely a must!