Back into the swing

I wouldn't say the last couple of weeks have been hectic but they've been very up and down.  I'm not sure how else to describe it really but it seems when we've had the down moments, hubby's been at work and I've had to hold the fort.

I'm used to it but it can wear you down and I ended up crashing down with a bit of a thud last week after days of picking kids up early from school for appointments or because they were sick or because they weren't coping with certain things.

So I've pretty well been away from the computer and dealing with what needs to be done around here.  Thank goodness hubby was actually home for a whole weekend as he was able to take on some of the load and I could start putting myself back together.

I haven't been crocheting much either but on the weekend my mojo started to kick back in and I picked up the hook and started on something easy.  I've decided to make a table runner for our old and scuffed dining table and after a few stops and starts, decided on a simple mesh stitch because it was the first thing I worked on that I could vision on our table.

The above photo is the start of the table runner and is my usual 'start of a project photo' that I take to remind myself of what size hook I'm using.  I can't tell you the amount of times I've forgotten about a project then months later when I find it again, I can't remember what hook I was using.  Now I take a quick snap and I haven't had a problem since. 

On Saturday, while hubby held the fort, I escaped for a few hours.  I took a basket with a picnic blanket, my latest library book, some yarn and hook and my camera.

I found a quiet spot to park myself for a few hours and read my book for a bit, crocheted something random, drank tea, ate chocolate and just soaked in the view and the quiet of my chosen spot.

Actually it wasn't really quiet because it was blowing a gale so the wind was a constant companion but it was better than being in an overcrowded shopping centre somewhere.

I chatted to a few people wandering along the path by my picnic table, mainly when I had my crochet out as it's amazing how many people ask what you're making.

I also watched the most gorgeous pelican float around a man with his cast net for about half an hour.  I'm sure it was hoping for an easy feed but no such luck was to be had and it eventually flew off.

So the batteries are recharged again which is just as well as I've just checked hubby's schedule and he'll be away for the next two weekends.

Over the next few days I'll catch up with my blog friends and slowly work my way through my 'to do' list and keep on top of things as much as possible.

All I can say is...thank goodness for slow cookers!

Have a great week my friends.

xx Susan

Brisbane City - Part 2 The River

At the heart of the city is the Brisbane River which meanders and snakes its way from the upper reaches, through the outer suburbs, divides the city centre and then spills out into Moreton Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

Jumping on a City Cat is one of the best ways to explore the city.  They depart every 15 minutes and head up and down the river passing many iconic city sights.  The trip from one end of the City Cat route to the other takes about one and a half hours (3 hours round trip) but you can just do sections of it if you wish.

One afternoon on my recent city break, I decided to hop on one of the city cats and explore the river.  It was something on my 'to do' list of things to do in Brisbane but for some reason had never got around to actually experiencing it.

I'm so glad that I did as I thoroughly enjoyed it and it reminded me a bit of going on the boats when I lived and worked in the Whitsunday's when I was in my early 20's.

I hopped on at the South Bank terminal and decided to head downriver which was about a one hour trip but obviously the return journey made it into a two hour trip and a great way to spend an afternoon on a public holiday.  (It also only cost me $2.65 for the whole two hour trip.  Yes, you read that right!)

One thing to remember about the City Cats is that they are passenger ferry's so the main purpose of them is for commuters.  That means no commentary about the various sights along the river.  There are other tourist river cruises you can do which will give you more information about the city and the river but I was just happy to be out on the water.

Some of the sights you will see are the Maritime Museum which is situated at the southern end of South Bank.  It's accessible via South Bank or from one of the smaller ferry's which service the river.

Kangaroo Point and it's iconic cliffs are seen best from the river too.

This area is known for it's parks and picnic areas and the cliffs are especially popular with rock climbers and abseilers which you can see in the above photo.

There's plenty of other ways to explore the river too.  As much as I love kayaking, it looked a bit too strenuous for me on this particular afternoon.

Jet skiing is another great way to see the river but a little too fast and noisy for what I was wanting.

There are paths and boardwalks all along the river and on a long weekend, there were plenty of locals out enjoying the inclement weather.

I also love that instead of walking or catching a bus from one side of the CBD to the other, you can hop on one of the ferry's which will take you around a bend in the river and presto, you have arrived with very little effort.

Being on the river means that you pass under the many bridges which join the two sides of the city including the heritage listed Story Bridge.  I'm much happier going under the bridge in a boat rather than doing the bridge climb as I don't do heights very well.

Another iconic thing to see on the river is the Kookaburra Queen paddle steamers which serve lunch, dinner or even a high tea as you tour the city. 

 I can remember when I was young and had watched the tv series All The Rivers Run with Sigrid Thornton, all I wanted to do was go on the Kookaburra Queen.  I haven't done that yet so maybe that will be on my list of things to do next time I head into Brisbane.

I love seeing the little glimpses of everyday life too and I have to say that the two dogs in the photo below were having the best time on the beach.

The river widens as you head down river towards the docks area and the City Cats really pick up speed in some sections.  It was fun although jeans or shorts are the best clothing option if you decide to stand on the front or back deck rather than sitting inside.  

Ladies, if you wear a skirt, wear pretty knickers underneath because everyone will see them when the skirt flies up!

What I really loved about the trip was the looking at some of the beautiful houses along stretches of the river nestled in between high rise apartment complexes.

There are many older ones that have seen the city grow and been through a few floods.

There are also plenty of new houses too with some spectacular views.

Then there is Newstead House which is probably the most famous riverside home in Brisbane.

It's Brisbane's oldest surviving residence built in 1846 and is now a museum furnished to reflect the  late Victorian period.

I remember visiting on a school excursion when in primary school and of course we were more interested in stories of the resident ghost than anything else.  Pretty typical of 10-12 year olds, although I would love to go back and tour this beautiful building again.  

It was a little difficult to see it well with all the trees surrounding it so it looks like I'll be adding this to my list of things to do on another visit.

 I know the 2011 floods were pretty devastating to many of the riverside properties and I couldn't help wondering how many of the buildings and houses I saw were affected.  That's something you would probably learn on the tour boat I suppose and maybe I'll do that another time too.

I did do a second trip the next day but went up river towards the University of Queensland terminal which was only about a 20-25 minute trip so I was back in the heart of the city in under an hour.

The western stretches of the river are much more residential with a few less iconic sights to see but still enjoyable if you only have a short time available.

I really enjoyed my trips on the City Cats and at only $2.65 per trip, I certainly couldn't argue about the price.

For anyone in Brisbane the best way to pay is if you have one of the transport GO Cards which you can use on the trains, buses and ferries.  I have one as I caught the train down too and it was a much easier option for me but you can buy a single ticket on board the boats if you don't have a Go Card.

The cost is a little more at somewhere between $4 and $5 but is still very cheap if it's the only public transport you plan on using while in the city.

After I just wrote all that I remembered that I took a photo of the current fares.  I won't delete what I wrote but will add the photo in for anyone wishing to know.

And for those who like maps I'll add the city ferry network map with the blue line representing the City Cat service.

I hope you've enjoyed a peek at my river trip.  I certainly enjoyed it at the time, then reliving it as I was going through the photos.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

xx Susan

Brisbane City - Part 1

At the end of the school holidays, just before Miss R's appendix decided to play up, I was able to have a few wonderful days away.  No husband, no kids, just me doing whatever I wanted, when I wanted.  That included eating when I wanted without having to worry about everyone else.

It was such a rare opportunity to have 3 nights away that I jumped at the chance.  I prefer quiet places to the hustle and bustle of towns and cities but this time I decided that I really wanted to explore Brisbane, our state's capital city.

I've only been there a few times in the past decade or more.  A couple to visit the court house in support of my brother when he was going through his divorce, and once on Master M's 7th birthday when we went to the museum.

I didn't need to drive as the train took me right where I needed to go and I could spend just over an hour crocheting and looking at the changing landscape out the window.  No traffic worries for me, or trying to work out which lane I needed to be in, or paying frightening parking fees for the few days I was there.

I decided to stay at one of the hotels at South Bank for my stay.  I knew that I would spend most of my time in this very popular area with its parklands, pools, cafes, restaurants, museum, art gallery  and entertainment venues.  It's also a short walk across the bridge to the city centre.

After I checked in and did a little happy dance knowing that I had a lovely hotel room all to myself, I headed out and explored South Bank to see what had changed over the years.

South Bank itself is 17 hectares of parklands right on the Brisbane River and is in the heart of the city.  It was developed on the old Expo '88 site and has been one of the best developments the city council has made over the years.

I love the walkway which meanders throughout the middle of the area, covered in beautiful bougainvillea.  There were also red lanterns strung along the whole walkway as well as along the river front but all became clear as to why they were there soon enough.

It was actually Easter Sunday afternoon when I arrived and the place was packed.  There were so many families having picnics and barbeques in the park areas and the cafes, restaurants and pubs were all really busy.

By far one of the most popular areas at South Bank are the pools.  They are free public pools (with life guards) in the heart of the area.  In summer they're really popular and even though it's been cooling down lately, there were still plenty of people enjoying a dip on a long weekend.

Now the naming of South Bank is pretty obvious as it's on the south side of the Brisbane River which winds its way throughout the heart of city.  The river itself is popular and I'll write a post about that another time but the views of the city centre with it's mix of old and new buildings all in a jumble together is quite nice.

Ferries and City Cats make their way up and down river all day and there were also a couple of party boats late on a Sunday afternoon, slowly making their way down river with their music pumping out loudly for all to hear and the passengers obviously having a great time.

I continued wandering along the path by the river, taking in the sights and sounds...

...and searching for somewhere a little quieter.  Luckily they also have a rainforest walk in the middle of the area for you to escape to for a few moments of quiet if needed.

The Nepalese temple which was built for Expo '88, is still very much a feature of South Bank and provides a beautiful, quiet haven in the middle of the parklands.

The carvings in the temple are exquisite and it really is a lovely spot to spend some time.

I didn't go on the Brisbane Eye but decided to leave that for another trip when I bring the kids down.  I'm sure they will love it so I'm making some plans for one of the forthcoming school holidays to visit and explore for a day or two.  The train trip to get to Brisbane will be a highlight in itself for them.

For Part 2 I'll show you the city from the river since I hopped on a City Cat one afternoon and spent a wonderful couple of hours seeing the city from a different perspective.

I didn't spend my whole time out and about and being busy either.  It was a getaway intended for me to recharge the batteries and I was lucky my hotel was right in the heart of the area so I could pop back in to crochet, read or just nap if needed.  Yes I actually did that and couldn't believe that I had a nap one day.  I very rarely nap and it seemed so indulgent and wonderful to snooze on a bed, during the day for an hour without anyone waking me up because they can't find something or they're hungry or they're fighting and I need to referee or...…………….(you get the picture).

I also ate.  A lot.  There are some pretty incredible restaurants in the area and I really did indulge.  You can eat your way around the world just going to the restaurants in one street.

  Oh and the tapas (proper Spanish tapas, not the slider sort) were amazing.  I ate there a couple of times because it was so good and I have no idea when I'll be back again.  I also refuse to get on the scales to see how much weight I put on in those few days.  It was worth it though!

Awesome tapas and sangria, less than 100 metres from my hotel :)

Have a wonderful week everyone.

xx Susan

Slow

Sometimes I really feel like I need to give my life a bit of a re-boot.  

You know when you feel like you've been stuck in a rut for awhile even though you're reasonably busy.  

Well I feel like I've been in that rut and am slowly crawling my way out and I'm doing that by appreciating the normal and everyday things in my life.

Things like my daily walk with the dog.

We go most school days after we've dropped the kidlettes off at their respective schools.  Not only is it good exercise for both of us (I've lost 15 kilos in the last 18 months - yay!), but it's sometimes the only time I really get out of the house during the day.

The weather has been gorgeous lately too which has made for really enjoyable walks and we're into the last month of winter here so the mornings are still cool and the days are lovely and comfortable.  Pretty well perfect really.

We go at a time and place where it's wonderfully quiet and you don't often see anyone else on the track with you.  We do see plenty of golfers out on the nearby course and get to know some of the regulars on their particular day of the week so we're not entirely isolated but the track is ours the majority of the time.

I love going where we go because it also means I don't have to have my boy on a lead.  I don't really feel like being dragged behind him on our walks so he can run and 'open the throttle' as much as he likes and then keep coming back to me which gives him some great extra exercise too.  

It's also some quiet time out in nature where I can recharge my batteries and ponder things over as I plod along.  Sometimes I just want to zone out and listen to music and other times I need the quiet.  It all depends on how I feel and what I need that day.

I've been crocheting a little too.  Not as much as I would like as I'm STILL working on Miss R's blanket that I started at the beginning of the year.  (She's in High school now so I've decided to drop the 'Little' from Little Miss R).

Somedays it feels like a bit of a slog to pick up the crochet hook and do a few rows and crochet should NEVER, ever be a slog.  It's something I enjoy and I've decided lately to stop feeling guilty because I'm taking some time for me to sit down and do something I love.

The fact that my girl has been cold and is harassing me to finish her blanket might also have something to do with that as well. :) 

I am happy to say that I'm over three-quarters of the way through it so hopefully it won't be too much longer now.  

I'll keep you updated on the progress as blogging a little more regularly is another of those 'me' things that I want to do to help me get out of my rut.  

Just thinking about and remembering to take some photos has already changed how I'm looking at my life again so we'll see what other changes will come about over the next few weeks.  I sometimes find that when you decide to do something and make a conscious effort to change something in your life then it can be like a rolling stone gathering momentum.

I hope you all enjoy your weekend and the coming week.  Our family have plans to do some things with friends from England who are out holidaying at the moment.  They have a boy the same age as Master M and the kids all get along wonderfully so they're looking forward to spending time together.

xx Susan

A midweek jaunt

I've just had a really lovely and extremely rare night away midweek.

My sister has been staying at Marcoola this week and asked if I would like to join her on Wednesday night.

I was able to get my lovely Mum to pick up the kidlettes from school (well just one as Little Miss R decided to wake up that morning quite ill.  She bounced back very quickly around lunch time from a feverish, vomiting child to a hyperactive one in no time at all!).

Hubby was in charge that night (pizza for dinner) and had to get lunches and things for them the next morning which they all survived so I was able to have a night away.

There were no roads to get to the beach as well as a lovely pool which I didn't swim in.  Mainly because it was blowing a gale the afternoon I arrived and I also don't have any togs (swimmers).

I sat with my sister and chatted and enjoyed the view.  There was a great balcony (we were on the 5th floor) that was slightly protected from the blustery breeze so we ended up sitting inside chatting.

 We then headed off on a lovely afternoon ramble along the path running parallel to the beach and the sand dunes to blow the cobwebs away and just to get out and about.

The room I was in was quite spacious and had a seriously comfortable bed and pillows.  How often does THAT happen when you go away somewhere.

Dinner that night was takeaway from the resort bistro.  There were full kitchen facilities in the unit but we had no wish to cook.  

I can highly recommend the slow cooked lamb, olive, sundried tomato, haloumi, and pesto pizza.  It was divine and the sweet potato chips were pretty awesome too.

The next morning we were up early and I ventured down to the beach for a short meander.

The whole time I was there I kept thinking how much the kids would love it and I had to keep telling myself to enjoy my time.

Once I left the beach I wandered back along the path for a short way then up to our lovely rooms.

We had breakfast at a little cafe across the road which had possibly the best coffee I've ever had.  I can't remember the name of the cafe but it had something to do with Gecko's.  Possibly it was something as simple as The Gecko.  Awesome coffee anyway!!

The time seemed too short and then it was back home where I found that hubby held the fort easily without me and the kids were fine too.  Nothing fell to pieces just because I wasn't there for one night.  :)

I hope you're all having a lovely week.

xx Susan