I had the best massage of my life on Monday. All hot stones, hot oil and crystal energy healing. I’m fairly skeptical of the magic of the crystals, but it was delightful enough that I’m returning for another this afternoon.

Massages were another thing that I was not at all a fan of until relatively recently. Scrubs and wraps, sure! But the thought of having my very tight and ticklish muscles pummeled was an anathema to me – based on, well, naturally based on nothing except assumptions.

I think Don persuaded me to give it a go when we were in Vietnam a couple of years ago. Now I’m all turned around on the subject.

2929-2928 days

I once would have been absolutely adamant that there was no way I would enjoy a tropical resort holiday.

And for a very long time that would have been correct.

What I like about being an old lady is realising that it is perfectly acceptable to change your mind about all manner of things! And that regularly challenging your assumptions should be encouraged.

3933-3930 days

Today marks THREE YEARS** since I stopped drinking alcohol.

Honestly, one of the best things I’ve done for myself in well, ever.

2934 days

xxx

** I’ve been calling the 14th November the anniversary for the last 3 anniversaries, and every anniversary I’m reminded it was the 12th.

Our comms director today told me she thought I was late-30s-early-40s.

I hugged her.

3935 days

xxx

(I’m glad I’m not late-30s-early-40s, I like this age much better – apart from the minor ailments which I could do without)

I’m almost two years into the 60before60 challenge. Yikes! Insert your favourite quote about the relentless march of time.

As with the 50before50 list, items are up for change as I reflect where I am and what I’m currently about.

To be honest, I’ve kind of been ignoring the list – there’s a few that definitely need to go and some that were vague and need clarifying. There are probably still more that will not make it past year three.

REPLACING

12. Enter Sydney to Gong bike ride (50)
I’d like to get back into riding, but why do I always have to be so extreme? The route is incredibly hilly and the idea of riding with thousands of other people in close quarters doesn’t really fill me with delight.
Replaced by: 10 craft projects = equivalent of one per year

40. Expunge “like” from my vocabulary (“like” used as filler, not in the “I like that cake” sense)
Save for logging every 30 minutes, or offering a bounty for spotting the use of “like”, I have no idea how to determine this. Abandoning!
Replaced by: 10 craft courses = equivalent of one per year

41. Be more present (precisely how to do this is yet to be determined)
Another of those admirable but unlikely to happen items. Another impossible to measure.
Replaced by: learn to pick a lock

56. do 5 pull ups
I honestly cannot see this being remotely achievable. What was I thinking?
Replaced by: learn to tie complicated knots

===

REVISED | CLARIFIED

19. [something] movies
30 movie dates with Don = equivalent of three per year

20. [something] new music
Buy 12×10 new music = equivalent of one per month

21. [something] meditate
Meditate every day for a year. Record observations.

24. 2x local low-key, camping-style weekends away per year
10 low-key, low-cost weekends away = equivalent of one per year.

42. [something] about not buying fast fashion
no fast fashion in 2020

44. [something] hikes
20 hikes/bushwalks >10km = equivalent of two per year

50. [something] reading
Blog every book read – 2018-2028

51. [something] yoga | pilates
start a regular home yoga practice. 3x per week.

===

NEW
It took a while to realise I didn’t have a #60. If I can actually pull this one off, I will be delighted.

60. SOMETHING FOR #60!
Spontaneous holiday – go to the airport or get in the car and go away for a week with absolutely no pre-planning!

===

2936 days

Bushfire smoke blanketing the city once again this evening.

This time I’ve sensibly shut the windows to keep most of the smoke out. Hopefully this will go some way to avoiding a recrudescence of the ghastly post nasal drip.

There’s a catastrophic fire danger for most of the state tomorrow.

Stay safe!

2937 days

Oh man, that post nasal drip was a killer.

I’m still plagued by an occasional cough, but otherwise thankfully now mostly recovered.

The levels of exhaustion caused by this illness in the past couple of weeks surprised me. I arrive home from SML and collapse on the couch in a near vegetative state. There has been a whole lot of mindless scrolling through r/AskReddit. I don’t know why I chose that particular activity. I can’t say I really recommend it.

In excellent news, we leave for our short tropical holiday at the end of the week. Thank TheUniverse! I’m in desperate need of more sloth.

Unlike last year I have no intentions of dragging along a bunch of library books, instead I saved several volumes from that very elderly mainly british epubs file to the kindle. At least some of my pool-side time will be spend re-reading the Jackson Brodie books (because I need a refresher before I start Big Sky), after that we’ll see how it goes.

I’m still undecided re: craft. Last year I took along the endless embroidery and it was delightful to stitch by the pool and by the ocean. This year I’m torn between the sashiko kit, starting my Japanese train inspired embroidery or taking along the impossible jumper to knit. The sashiko is by far the simplest of these because it’s a kit and therefore all ready to go. The jumper is slightly less simple and I’m not entirely convinced about knitting a giant jumper in the tropics. The trains is by far the most challenging and requires quite a bit of data prep work. Naturally I’m inclined toward the trains.

Because why not put an immense amount of pressure on myself before we leave?

2944-2938 days

Feeling somewhat improved, but still coughing (so very much coughing!) at inopportune moments.

I keep reassuring my worried colleagues that I won’t cough myself to death in front of them, although it does definitely seem like it at times.

And reminding them that I am not contagious.

2944 days

Slight blip in the daily posting!

All that smoke made me awfully unwell and I was compelled to seek out the doctor on Saturday morning.

a small selection of my medications

She diagnosed me with post nasal drip (ugh). It’s quite ghastly.

The drugs are helping, but Don has been forced to seek sleep in the not-sewing room because of my endless coughing.

2948-2945 days

We’re experiencing hazardous air quality. Many bushfires away to the north – smoke covering the city.

Out the window: compare and contrast.

today

not today

cough cough cough

Rather hard to breathe.

2949 days