anyresemblance

An update of sorts

When I went to Ohio for grad school it was the first time I had visited a country I thought I knew from television.  Americans at home turned out to be welcoming, kind and curious about the world I inhabited.   I loved it then and I love it now but I chose a whirlwind week to be in New York.  I did my small bit by not buying my coffee at the Starbucks in Trump Tower which, while closest to the office, now comes with added turnoff of a security checkpoint at the door to the building.  No, thanks. You'd be surprised (or maybe not) how many people were out front taking selfies.  I passed one woman on Saturday morning who was filming herself reciting the names of Jewish people who'd been refused refugee status in 30s and thereafter died in concentration camps with the backdrop of the TT.    It's great to see these acts of peaceful protest.

I talked to my friend in Montana on Saturday morning as I trudged the streets of Midtown looking for a fedex to send him a book, not available in print in the US, and which I had lugged all the way from Australia, and he reminded me to stay positive: protest matters, it's our democratic right and we need to make sure we don't get fatigued with outrage.  He said subscriptions to the NYT had rocketed which reminded me I quickly hit my 10 free article limits on both the Washington Post and NYT as credible news sources these days.  I am planning subscriptions to both of those.

I walked many blocks on Thursday to go to dinner and several on Friday night shopping for kids and on Saturday morning on my own agenda.   Such diversity and energy. I'm going back for that Cuban food.

Switching seasons

We're restored to a form of sanity with the temperature dropping to a more bearable level. It's due to heat up again but I am smugly washing my opaque tights as I am flying out to New York tomorrow.  Actually I am going to Connecticut for a few days and then into the city and feel cheated that no snow is forecast but at least you can put another layer on and sleep at night.  

I have a shocking headache which I am putting down to reading stuff about President 45 but I am heartened that people are rediscovering protest.  I keep reminding myself we got through the Thatcher years but not by letting it all slide over us.

People, including a child and a baby, doing their Friday lunchtime shopping died in Melbourne this week.  How is that for a stern reminder to be grateful every day for being alive?

 

Weather update

Day 102.  Still hot.  Now add lack of sleep, general irritability, poor decision making to the mix.

I'm draping wet towels in front of fans, walking the dog at 9pm when the temperature has dropped to 28C (dear god) and drinking lots of cold brew coffee.  On an up note, cold brew coffee now rules my world with a couple of ice cubes.

Spidey senses

After dinner last night (best falafel I've ever made but that's another story), one of the kids left for her house sitting gig.  She came back after 30 seconds saying the biggest huntsman spider she had ever seen (bigger than her hand) had crawled under the passenger seat.  I was sent to deal with it. Of course, I could not find it despite moving the seat back and forth.  I had some sympathy as it is more than a decade since one climbed down my windscreen (fortunately on the other side) but I still recall the shudder and distraction it caused while driving.  I haven't seen one in the house for an age but I'd rather not be in an enclosed space with one.

I let her take the other car and this morning I had another look - still no sign - and opened all the windows so it could at least escape the oppressive heat (not wanting to find shrivelled corpse in the car.) This evening I drove the car and filled it with petrol and nothing ran over my leg so I am declaring it escaped.

It's really hot and no sign of a break in the weather. Even Charlie could only do 20 minutes walking today as the pavement was so hot. I'm dreaming of opaque tights and boots.

I sent a letter

Even though I started work last Thursday this still feels like the first day of work this year.  I am full of optimism about the year: interesting work, possible exciting new assignment, colleagues I like and trust, stuff I feel committed to.  So even though world politics is the pits, I am determined to make 2017 more fruitful and fulfilling than last year.

There's a few things I want to do.  And a few habits I want to establish, a few kilos I'd like to shed and a few muscles I'd like to build.

So far, so good

Reading: Stephen King On Writing - so good on clarity and editing.  This holiday period I also read Garry Disher's Signal Loss (one of the best Australian writers today), India Knight's book on dogs (meh, I usually find her very entertaining but this was padding albeit with good intentions), and the latest Maisie Dobbs (they all spill into each other these days and Maisie is so very earnest, not like the wicked Phyrnne Fisher for example), Diana Henry's Simple (there is not a thing I don't want to eat in her book) and Molly Yeh's Life on the Range (ditto for her middle eastern inspired food)

Watching: Royal Pains Season 1 (easy summer fare while cooking), Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta (Monty is a god and I wish Laurie worked in my office to boss around stupid people sometimes and why do these brides bring so many people to their appointments?), The Crown (taking it slow because I like all the period detail), Luke Cage (I have to pay attention so going slow with this, too).  I am not going to the movies because I reckon I'll see them all on a plane in the next two months.

Eating: Things which do not require the oven to go on and blast us with its residual heat. Roasted cauliflower salad with mint and pomegranate seeds because it goes with everything and is so delicious and can be baked in my mini weber outside, kipfler potatoes because they are delicious hot or cold and raspberries when they are on special.

Missing: having L and her kids around because it is nice to hang out with family.

Enjoying: having my kids around even when they squabble

Listening: Patrick Weekes' Rogues of the Republic trilogy on audible with lots of kick ass characters and excellent narration by Justine Were plus whatever Spotify serves up for me

Making: lists 

Writing: thank you letters - back on the 52 hellos bandwagon and supporting postmen.  Love my Pilot v pens disposable ink pens but impossible to find here and had to buy on ebay

Wearing: shorts and a t-shirt every damn day as it is so fecking hot

Liking: my new work mac which has a retina screen and is so clean and shiny

Disliking: copying my files over to my new computer

Planning: more planned travel as opposed to just work cities (which are always great but I need some proper vacation as well not least of which I am in trouble for having too much untaken leave)

 

Morning steps

I had a particularly nice walk this morning.  As I turned the corner, the flag was being raised at the Sri Lankan embassy and then all the staff stood in a solemn semi circle and sang what I assume to be the national anthem.  I don't know if this is a frequent occurrence or just for the start of the year but it was charming just the same.

A lady was weeding her garden and stopped me to chat to Charlie and tell him how handsome he was.  

And this sweet little fella was on a wall I walked past.

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We had our best beach holiday ever.  The house was great, the weather was perfect, the beach was idyllic (apart from that moment on Hyams Beach where there was a shark in the water and everyone had to get out) but we saw dolphins twice, canoed, paddle boarded, ate lunch at Rick Stein's, crawled through rock tunnels to get to a spectacular view, had water balloon fights, went to the fun fair, relaxed in the hot tub, ate more bacon than you'd think humanly possible, had ice cream (scoops as my stepson terms it) every day and finished the final evening with a family viewing of School of Rock.  Charlie had the best time, adored by everyone, loved swimming in the sea (not so keen on being put in the canoe), ran 7k every day with L and generally enjoyed being the family dog. The only thing that would have made it better was another week.

Now we're home and the house is empty, two went back to Sydney, three went back to Perth and one is house sitting.  I went to bed at 10 last night, missed the midnight fireworks and only woke at 12.30 to the sound of my neighbour putting bottles in his recycling bin.