lovely rain, peaceful beach and getting stronger everyday

we missed the rain this morning, but I guess we were tempting fate to go for another walk this afternoon.... it rained on us, we got pretty soaked, but it was actually kinda nice

our walk took us around to a secret little beach, that was protected by the wind and made you want to sit for a while and take it all in

being challenged every day to step up and take ownership of my life and where I'm at right now.... it feels good, and I'm proud of myself

baking, faces and saying goodbye

I love a good challenge, so today I found a recipe for salted caramel shortbread covered in dark chocolate..... it was a long recipe and took a whole lot of patience, but oh my, what sweet yummy treats I ended up with....they won't be for sale in a patisserie anytime soon, but hey, they're delicious

after a few days of just messaging each other, this morning we skyped... it's good to see someone's face :)

no big party, no champagne, just a simple and quiet goodbye to a really tough year, but it felt good

super windy walk, really long lunch, and the old gang :)

another day, another stomp.... this time we hit up the coastal paths and scramble round to St Brelade's Bay..... there is something so reviving about being out in wild weather

we catch up with Janina for lunch at Pizza Express and end up there for about 3 hours..... long lunches rule

dinner out with the boys and it feels like we're all 18 again...not a whole lot has changed, still the same awesome guys.... feels like family

just like old times, hiking adventures and feeling empowered

Elsie is here and it feels like our Elsie & Linzi routine has never and will never change :) Lots of walking, talking, cooking, laughing and adventures

we brave the grey, windy day and go for a stomp on the North coast.....and somehow manage to dodge all the rain

good friends make you feel strong, that's a fact..... long chat tonight that left me feeling empowered

ray of light, feeling inspired and afternoon of friendship

I stumble on an interesting website that seems to illuminate a little light bulb in my mind :)

a mixture of excitement, inspiration and wonder .... thats how I feel today.... the word that sums it up best ? probably yikes

an afternoon hanging out with a gorgeous almost 3 year old playing lego....and enjoying every second

junky tv, leftovers and talking it out

Boxing Day.... a day for relaxing in your pyjamas and watching guilt-free junky tv.....bliss

Mmmmm I hover around the kitchen and fill a plate full of delicious leftovers.

Sometimes, even when you feel like being alone and not talking, the very best thing is to be with someone who cares and talk it out. Lucky that I have a great friend who knows that :)

walk, nice words and a friend returned

Knowing that the day will be spent eating incredibly delicious food, and hanging out indoors, we rug up and stomp to Nat & Daves' place. It only takes about an hour but it feels good to have worked up an appetite.

We have zero funds this year, so I give everybody a homemade card filled with some heartfelt words. Makes me realise that maybe, kind honest words are worth more than any gift.

A conversation with a long lost friend fills me with joy..... feels like he has come to the end of his difficult journey and I recognise a hint of happiness in his voice again. Awesome.

beach stomp, E.T. and family time

Christmas Eve, and a long stomp on the beach in the cool air with an awesome buddy. A lot of fun.

watching E.T. whilst preparing dinner....No Christmas holiday should be without it.

A beautiful meal with the people I love most in the world ( bar one who is hopefully feeling the love I am sending his way )

post training glow, afternoon read and the start of deliciousness....

I find the energy from somewhere to train, if only to bask in the awesome feeling I have when it's over.

It's totally ok to jump into bed mid afternoon for a warm reading session :)

And so the Christmas tradition of eating super delicious meals prepared with a lot of love has begun

lie in, woodsmoke and catching up

I wake feeling triumphant that I've slept all the way through the night and somehow tricked my jet lag. I have a little breakfast and then sneak back into bed for a lie in.

The air is cool and I can smell woodsmoke in the air. Beautiful.

An afternoon of well overdue hugs, meeting an amazing new member of the Moffat family,long chats and a very welcome glass of red.

sublime Singapore, cool cool air and ahhhhh bed

after a flight with a few hours of sleep, I wonder around Singapore airport thankful to be in such a serene place. I take a long, hot shower, charge my phone, eat something yummy and find somewhere comfy to crash out for a few hours. I swear this is the best airport on the planet.

Feeling icky and slightly tweaked after my second flight I relish in the cool fresh winter air as I wait for my bus.

The journey is over, I'm back home, I've eaten a delicious goats cheese salad and all I have to do now is fall into my amazingly comfortable snuggly bed......bliss

floating, second surf and cliché Christmas travel

knowing that tonight I will be on a long haul flight, I make the most of our peaceful early surf in the sunshine. After my surf I leave my board on the beach and go back in the ocean to float for a while.

a second surf turns out to be super fun, and I'm really pleased that I changed my mind and went in.

a late train, a delay in the middle of nowhere, a missed train and a lack of taxis finds me rushing like a crazy person to get to the airport before check in closes.... I tell a cab driver 'I'll give you $50 if you get me to the airport in 15 minutes'. He does, and I arrive at the check in desk 5 minutes before it closes.....phew....

living in the now, yikes yoga and new surf spot

one of my new years' resolutions is to learn to live in the now.... this morning I embraced it and enjoyed every second

a long overdue yoga workout that felt as tough as it did awesome

we stumble on a new place to surf that has somehow never come to our attention before. The beach is almost hidden and there is a beautiful pathway through the bush to get there.

packing a picnic, tea tree swim and homemade sausage rolls

we have the most amazing little picnic set that creates excitement from the moment we take it out of the pantry...... this morning we load it with yummy goodies (leftover bulgur salad with spring onions, mint, dried apricots, pomegranate, pistachios and grilled chicken, tzatziki, super yummy day old sourdough, Jeffo's homemade sun dried tomato, capsicum and cashew dip and a container full of summer fruits) mmmmmmmm

we stop off halfway through the drive and swim in the tea tree lake that makes our skin soft

a quick mission into town to buy supplies, and speedy baking make for a yummy warm plate of homemade sausage rolls to take next door for the Christmas drinks :)

watching clouds, amazing news from France and kindness of strangers

we walk up to the headland and sit for about half an hour, watching the stormy clouds roll in

two very special friends in France told us some very special news today :) happy happy happy

what could have been a disastrous afternoon was saved by the kindness of strangers.... I locked my keys in the car, had no phone with me and no spare set of keys.... but the nice man at the supermarket let me use the phone, the lovely lady parked next to me called her husband who drove down with a coat hanger, and the very nice man who walked past, saw us all struggling, grabbed the coat hanger, wriggled it a special way and opened my car..... wow :)

inspiring images, picnic on the hill and flights booked

a new yoga blog that I have found keeps serving up daily does of inspiration in the form of amazing photos, quotes and yoga wisdom

we try out the new gourmet fish and chip shop in Woolgoolga, and take our blanket up on the hill for an early dinner and a glass of wine

yikes, it feels real now..... flights home booked :)

de-jinxed a surf break, pressure free breakfast and freshness

sometimes you can feel like a surf break is jinxed.... you never get good waves there so you're never that excited to surf there. This morning I officially de-jinxed Mullaway, and got a tonne of really fun waves...yahooo

we go out for a breakfast of corn fritter stacks, bacon and avo and are smiling, because, thanks to Jeff's new job, a weight has been lifted from our shoulders

cooking up a fresh mex storm......salsa, gorditas, guacamole, roasted peppers, tortilla strips and the yummiest green salad dressing ever

dad's yipeeee, amazing news and happy christmas lights

an early call to my folks to tell them I'm coming home for Christmas is greeted with a long, happy 'yipeeeeeeee' from my Dad

Jeff gets the call we've been waiting for..... so proud of his amazing news

after a $10 dinner at the pub we do a tiki-tour around Corindi to look at the Christmas lights.....

surfed out, kitchen scramble and duck dives

2 long surfs and our arms are sore, our noses a little sunburnt but we're smiling

ha ha ha I love those kitchen scrambles when you get home from a long surf and are so ridiculously hungry that a sense of panic hits as soon as you get to the front door...... must....eat....now.....

duck dives on sunny days that give you views of the ocean that most people can only dream of

fresh nectarines, amazing Elsie and a truce

the smell of ripe nectarines has taken over the kitchen......mmmmm

Elsie, and all her awesome-ness, her wisdom and her common sense.... we all need a friend like Elsie

just like they did on Christmas Eve in the trenches.... tonight we called a truce....and it felt good

sparkling, just me and the sea and honey on toast

wow, the sea was that amazing sparkly, shimmery blue today that made you rush back to the car after checking the surf to grab your board and get in there

after a couple of hours of super fun surf, the crowd thinned and I had a few magical waves to myself

post surf, a simple breakfast of honey on toast made me smile

a good rain jacket, a long walk and thunder

today started off with just a sprinkle of rain and ended up in a deluge.... so I was pretty happy I took my rain jacket out with me

a decision to walk home turned into a super nice solo stomp up and over 2 headlands and along 3 beaches

the loud rumbles of thunder as I got close to home made me thankful my walk was almost over

sweaty betty, another world and a big softie

another crazy workout, and another moment of feeling absolutely awesome lying on the floor afterwards....sweaty betty :)

sometimes its fun to do normal chores a different way..... today I plugged my headphones in as I got to the supermarket and did my weekly shop in my own music filled bubble

if only I had had a camera..... as I was driving home, a pretty scary looking man on a huge motorbike went whizzing past with an enormous teddy bear wrapped under his arm

fast drive, Ikea and beautiful light

a drive that normally seems to take forever was done in a flash today

we made the most of the mission up north and stopped in at Ikea on the way home..... Jeff gave me a 15 minute time limit, and I whizzed around and picked up a heap of yummy swedish goodies from their food shop

the drive home was quiet but beautiful... the early evening sunlight shone through the eucalyptus trees and set the sky on fire

pantry cooking, a letter to me and 1000 awesome things

there are days when my organisational skills are questionable, and we're facing a bit of a food drought....the weekly food shop having been postponed for one reason or another, and a little magic is required. Tonight I managed to scramble together a slightly obscure but super yummy butternut squash bake with prosciutto, parmesan and a big rocket salad.

I was thinking today about some of the amazing advice that friends have given me over the past few years. More often than not you come to a solution thanks to a friends wise words.   It can be so much more difficult to ask yourself those tricky questions and come to a solution by yourself.  So I came up with a plan..... I wrote myself a letter today as if I was writing to a friend in exactly the same position. Wow, sounds simple, but turns out to be a pretty inspired piece of writing !

I just found a new blog called 1000 awesome things.... what can I say, it's awesome !

nike training club, the word integrity and a list of adventures

love love love, that is how I am feeling about Nike Training Club right now. I love that I can do it anytime, anywhere. I love that it's actually a really tough workout, and I love that I'm loving it so much. Phew, that is a lot of love :)

thinking about values and recognising how important the word integrity is to me

wow, it took about an hour of flicking through old passports and trying to make sense of faded stamps, but now I have my updated list of adventures...... ha makes me happy just looking at it

the great outdoors, honest words and homemade pizza

we spent a couple of hours in the fresh air.....Jeff played 9 holes of golf and we strolled around the park, saying hello to the kangaroos, enjoying the trees, the sky and the sprinkles of rain

some of the words you most need to hear are the uncomfortable but honest ones..... it takes courage to hear them, and courage to speak them

I love love love making pizzas from scratch...... sooooooo much fun

sunlight, quiet day and rising dough

a ray of sunshine that came straight throughout the open window in the bathroom and felt warm on my skin

a day of reading, reflection and quiet

looking over to the pizza dough that I left in the pantry and seeing that it has doubled in size

progress, sore muscles and slow roast

some amazing news from a dear friend..... I had been hoping and wishing for progress and overnight this is exactly what happened.

I have sore legs after yesterdays' training, but it makes me happy

slow roasted mexican pork that cooked for 4 hours and tasted soooo good in tacos

let it all out, free as a bird and a book store

some pretty annoying news got me feeling cranky, which then led to blurting out how I felt and letting everything rush out that I had been bottling in for the past few weeks..... to a complete stranger...... could have been bizarre, but ended up being great timing ....

a guided meditation lead me to feeling as free as a bird

I found a new book store today that had a whole wall of cookery books

super windy day, clean floors and home alone

it was so windy here today..... I love stormy days. Reminds me of home :)

Clean floors are one of the more obscure benefits of practising yoga at home. You spend a serious amount of time at floor level, so you end up pretty keen to have super clean floors all week long !

Jeff is still up north so had the evening to myself....cooked up a yummy risotto, watched some girlie tv and enjoyed a glass of rosé. Nice.

early morning work out, creating my own opportunities, and moving furniture around

wow, it's been a while. Sorry body..... I've been pretty slack. But I'm back !!! And I loved our workout this morning, even though it was super tough and pretty sweaty.

I'm a little sick of waiting for the planets to align and for someone to give me a break......so today I decided to take charge :)

For some reason I find moving furniture around really therapeutic..... so today, I busted out some muscles and moved the table and benches on the deck..... ahhhh that feels better

a blow out, Nigella and a good bit in my book

sometimes you just have to have a blow out..... scream, stomp your feet and generally have a grown up tantrum. Somehow it makes everything feel a little better.

I love Nigella...... her oh-so-British accent, her way of making everything seem a bit naughty and her very real passion for cooking. So stoked to flick through the channels and stumble upon her show.

The book I'm reading is pretty good, but tonight I got to a really really good bit.... I love that

bloom, stocking up on freshness and a friend who'd run away with you

we have had a frangipani tree growing in a little pot on the back deck for over a year now..... and finally, this morning I see beautiful white and yellow flowers in bloom

mid week and out of spinach..... yikes..... so we cruise into town to re-stock. I end up coming out with a bag of spinach, celery, and fennel. Sweet.

I have a friend who would bust me out of jail, run away to Peru with me, or buy me a plane ticket just because I'm homesick.

best feeling ever, surfed out and awesome 'throw it together' dinner

the sun is out, the sky is blue, the waves are clean ..... you're riding a longboard because its pretty small and you know you'll get heaps of waves...... you take off, bottom turn and walk towards the nose, and just stay there, floating, flying

it's Sunday arvo and we're all K.O'd...... surfed out and smiling

everyone has left and Jeff and I are hungry.... we pull the chicken out of the fridge, chop a heap of veggies, make a tapenade rub for the meat and throw it in the oven..... Jeff makes a capsicum, sun dried tomato & cashew dip whilst I make a spinach salad. We walk over the road to check the surf one more time, and come home to the oh-so-delicious smell of roasted chicken. Dinner is served, and it is EPIC.

surf surf surf, skate and early night

the weather was supposed to be dreadful today bit it turned out pretty good. We surfed at Mullaway this morning and again out the front this evening..... if felt sooooo good to be in the water again. Nothing quite like having a sunburnt nose, jelly arms and salty skin :)

we took the skateboards out of the garage and did about a zillion (well, maybe not quite) runs down the road..... there is just enough of a slope in the road to squeeze in a few fun turns. I had forgotten just how fun downhill skating can be....

I think we all thought we'd be having a late night tonight, but after a super delicious home cooked meal we all looked at each other, and simultaneously decided it was time for bed. Off to bed with our sore muscles and lungs full of fresh air...... dreaming about the waves we will catch tomorrow

clean house, super delicious dinner and long chat with home :)

we have friends coming to stay this weekend, so it was a quick scoot around the house to get everything ready.... ha ha sometimes it feels like we are on a game show when we get on these funny little missions.

A simple dinner that turned out to be uber-delicious...... potato slices roasted in the oven with a little olive oil, topped with fresh baby spinach, and a scrummy serving of puy lentils and a little feta crumbled over the whole salad. Mmmmmmm warm salads....

A long chat with an awesome friend, and a glass of rosé...

baking cookies, fun bunny and through the worst of it

Another stormy day, and what better way to spend it than baking cookies.

I have a friend who is, what I would call, a fun bunny. She always has a goofy smile on her face, and is forever finding fun and adventures in everyday life. She is a true inspiration to me.

I think we're slowly but surely getting stronger. It seems like there are a lot more good days than bad, and that can only be a good thing right ?!

rain, location independent and wise words

I love, love, love the rain.......  and there are times when the rain feels perfectly suited to the day. That was today.

I did a little research today on 'location independent' entrepreneurs, and it got me super excited.

Wise words from someone I love a LOT.

together on a bumpy road, a funny show and a heart shaped rock

when life is feeling a little roller coaster-y, you've got to be thankful to have someone sitting next to you and sharing the ups and downs

every now and then, you just need to watch something that is going to make you laugh out loud. We did that tonight.

This might sound a little crazy, but ever since Jeff and I have been together we've both stumbled upon heart shaped rocks  post-surf walking back up the beach.  Random I know, but it has become a bit of a habit, and we're forever picking up rocks and taking them home for each other. I found a cracker today :)

scrummy sopes, mexican memories and looking after each other

mmmmmm a box arrived today with some Masa de Harina and some epic chilli sauce from Mexico..... that could only mean one thing..... time to make sopes.... Sopes are the most delicious little snacks made from corn flour (the flour you make tortillas with). You make little blini size pancakes, then fry in a little oil and serve with refried beans, avo, salsa and hot sauce.... so so so so yummy

The sopes instigated some serious withdrawal symptoms of Mexico.... we sat around this afternoon and remembered the super fun times we've had there ( and started planning another trip..)

Some days are easier than others, but all days are easier when we're together.

almighty house clean, like minded folk and inspiring women

Jeffo snuck off to go fishing so I took on the house cleaning solo. Loud music, check. Countdown set, check. Aircon on, check (it gets pretty flipping' hot when you're cleaning here). Wowzers, feels mighty good to have done it now :)

Tonight we're invited to dinner and meet some awesome like-minded folk. Within minutes Jeff and I were looking at each other grinning, and both thinking the same thing 'these guys are just like us !". It almost felt like an opportunity to look in a mirror and be reminded what we can achieve when we're playing at our highest level.

sometimes its important to surround yourself with people who inspire you. Today I spent a few moments thinking about some really stand-out role models.

bestie, rainforest mission and pizza next door

finally I get to catch up with Al..... she's a super hero friend.... the kind that will bring you soup when you are feeling sick, and always knows when you need a hug. So important to stay connected when we're not physically in the same place.

last night we made a plan to hit the Bello markets early this morning, but then curiosity was the call of the day when we found an alternative route through the rainforest and hills.... it ended up taking us twice as long to get there, but as we dunked in the river for a pre-market swim, we felt an inkling of Indiana Jones.

After a day long mission of crazy driving, river swimming and yummy sampling at the markets we were super stoked to get a text from next door to ask us over for pizza

a rainy lunch, a long drive and laughing

we drove to Beachstone Cafe for lunch, and sat quietly and contently watching the rain

on the drive home we took a detour and ended up following a dirt track through the rainforest and winding up the hills. It felt like the road would never end, and I guess in Australia, it could easily go on for hundreds and thousands of miles.

I have a friend who I hardly ever see, who has the most mischievous and contagious laugh. We can go weeks or months without talking, and within 10 minutes we're giggling away like school girls again.

running again, international weather and learning

wow, it's taken ages but I'm running again. The first run is never pretty..... always a little uncomfortable but definitely worth it :)

I'm not entirely sure why, but I love it watching the weather report when they show the whole planet. There is only one news programme on SBS that does it, but I'm always pretty stoked to catch it. I think it makes me feel a little more connected to the rest of the world.

so, I have my super exciting new camera...... but I'm a complete beginner so its time to start learning. I've wanted to have a good camera for so long, and I'm so pumped to be learning how to use it. Watch this space for some new pics...hope they get better and better !

mango & raspberries, a statement of intent and finally writing

mmmm the day started well with a bowl of fresh mango and raspberries, and a little sprinkling of vanilla sugar

today I wrote a statement of intent...... a very therapeutic task that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm ridiculously goal orientated, so writing an almighty statement of what I want my life to look like, is pretty much as good as it gets for me goal-wise :)

So I told you that I was starting a food blog, and I did. Well, I registered the name and played around with  the templates. But after much procrastination, I finally started writing today.

hanging out on the deck, a reconnection and a new camera

there is a deck overlooking the beach which has wooden steps leading onto the sand. This morning, after our swim, we sat there and talked about our hopes and dreams.

a much needed reconnection with a great friend

wow wow wow..... my new camera arrived. Much excitement in our little house, a lot of running around and taking photos of anything and everything.

love from home, sensible-ness and an evening swim

sometimes it feels like there are days where I am bombarded by good thoughts and love..... today was one of those. I had 2 text messages, 1 missed call and 3 lovely messages on Facebook.... all from lovely folk back home. They act as such a great reminder that I have such amazing friends out there.

sensible-ness..... it is a term that needs to be taken seriously. Today we injected a little sensible-ness into our plans.

it can be so easy to forget to make the most of where you live. So often, we find ourselves winding down at the end of the day and flicking on the tv whilst starting to prepare dinner. We forget, that outside, just across the street is a beautiful beach. So tonight, I grabbed my bikini and Jeff grabbed his boardies, and we ran across the road for a late swim. Bliss.

swimming in the rain, baking scones and writing in pencil

we drove up to Bellingen today, to get our fix of hinterland loveliness. It was raining by the time we got there, but we strolled around town, drank coffee and read the Sunday papers, then headed to the river for the obligatory swim in the river. I didn't think I wanted to go in, but once I was swimming and feeling the rain pouring down on us, it was pretty exhilarating.

Stormy days in Australia conjure up a bit of a problem for me. You see, when it is stormy at home, it's cold. So stormy weekends are spent snuggling, cooking and sheltering from the elements. But over here, you have to be a little more creative. Having said that, I felt that considering I'd had a swim in the river and a rainy walk, I was entitled to bake some scones.

Sunday night quite often means pulling out a heap of recipe books and writing our shopping list for the week. Tonight I scribbled it down with a pencil, and had forgotten how lovely writing in pencil really is.

stormy afternoon, thai beef salad and catching up :)

it was a grey and stormy day, and so we settled into a perfect afternoon movie. 'Beautiful Lies' with Audrey Tatou.... oh so French, quirky and funny. Loved it.

Mmm, this week has been all about testing out new recipes. Tonight we had a super fresh, super zingy Thai beef salad.

It can be tricky to get the timing right for Skype calls. So often the moment when you really want to have a chat with someone is the middle of their night.... but tonight I managed to have 2 long calls, which made me very happy indeed :)

good service, grilled polenta and girlie night

I love it when something goes to plan. This morning I had to get our car window fixed, and a very nice man found the part, gave me a discount and had the job done in 25 minutes.

Mmmmmm grilled polenta with balsamic mushrooms. A new recipe that feels like it may become a favourite.

Despite being in a different time zone, Elsie and I managed to have a super fun Skype whilst I was cooking dinner and generally enjoy some 'hanging out' time. So good to talk regularly with the people you love. Oh, and to finish my girlie night off, 2 episodes of Sex in the City back to back whilst waiting for Jeffo to get home from fishing :)

awesome start, map and oh so yummy lasagne

the surf was pretty much non-existent but we swam in the refreshing ocean, dunking under the waves in the shore break and waking ourselves up for the day ahead

yipeeee.... my map arrived !!! very much enjoyed sticking it up on the wall and scribbling my planned adventures all over it

so we decided to invite the neighbours over for dinner.... and road tested an amazing recipe that really needed about two and a half hours to make it when we only had an hour and a half.... a few tweaks here and there, and it was super delicious.....pork, roo and butternut squash lasagne..... with  homemade garlic & herb ciabatta and rocket and spinach salad..... and a great bottle of Cabernet Merlot...... oh, and affogatos with hot chocolate sauce for dessert :)

early solo surf, an injection of music and a renewed sense of self

it was such a beautiful morning that I raced across to the beach as soon as I woke..... the surf was super small but clean so I took my longboard out and had a heap of fun. When the sun is shining and you are in the ocean by yourself and the waves are tiny, it just feels like playing :)

my poor iPod has been sitting on my desk somewhat redundantly. I guess a lot of people have sad little iPods sitting around now, thanks to it's big brother the iPhone. Anyway, I had to drive into town so I grabbed it and blasted some of my favourite tunes for the whole drive. What can I say, I'd forgotten how awesome an injection of music can be. It totally transforms whatever mundane task you might be up to......

partly thanks to the solo surf and the musical car journey, I felt a renewed sense of self today. It made me feel empowered and excited.

eeek an amazon package, mmmm ribs and intelligent television

I act like a little kid when I'm walking over to the post office...... imagining all sorts of exciting parcels and packages awaiting me. I think it has something to do with not having a normal postal service. It makes me want my daily stroll to the post office to be worthwhile, and when I'm handed a bunch of bills or junk mail I wonder why I bothered walking over. But this morning Anne went out the back saying ' Oh yes, I think a parcel came for you yesterday....'

I have this great recipe for ribs roasted in honey and rosemary. Well, I say great, but the first time I cooked it (following the recipe word for word), I saw the potential, smelt the potential but the reality was a blackened dish of charred ribs. Each time I've cooked them since, I've tweaked the recipe ..... it states the cooking time is 2 to 3 hours...... and each time I rescued them from the oven, it seemed just a little too late. So tonight I vowed to try again (it has been a while since the last time, as Jeff wasn't as excited by my 'lets eat burnt ribs' experiment). Turns out the recipe was definitely wrong, I'll be generous and say it must have been a typo. Tonights' ribs were delicious, roasted to perfection and left me feeling very pleased with myself.

One thing I miss about the UK is intelligent television, something that is really lacking out here. Luckily I've found a channel called SBS that broadcasts some really interesting shows. Tonight we watched a live debate about the Greek Debt Crisis followed by a documentary about illegal immigrants in the UK. It felt like my brain cells were sighing with relief.

ebay excitement, lost in a book and revamp

If I'm totally honest, I'm pretty new to eBay. I created an account years ago but abandoned it after one or two absolutely ridiculous purchases (where I was more excited by the bidding process than the item I was actually bidding on). When we got back to Australia I noticed a few things lying around in the garage that   were worth selling, so I scrambled around to find where I'd noted my login details, and 24hrs later, voila ! One TV sold for $300 !! Amazing ! So with my newfound passion for eBay I started looking at what goodies were online, and lo and behold I found a Nikon camera with a start price of $100...... a few bids later ($180) and it was mine !!!!!! Sooooo excited...... if only we had a postman here I'd be waiting for him. Alas I have to keep stomping over to the post office each day :)

a new book ..... folklore, mystery, murder ....... perfect for getting lost in

It was about time I showed my mac some love, so I did a couple of software upgrades and it now feels like I have a new toy !

rocking out, reading extravaganza and making a list :)

Sunday is cleaning day..... top to bottom... normally a chore shared between the two of us, but today, as Jeff drove up the coast to see some friends I thought I'd tackle it solo. So I cranked up my favourite Kings of Leon album super loud, and sang and cleaned my way around the house.... and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Somehow I seem to have stockpiled a heap of newspaper articles. So today I sifted my way through them, reading the best ones and recycling the not so interesting ones.

I used to keep a list of my 'adventures'. All the trips I had been on since I was 18. I'm not sure when I stopped adding to it, or where I filed the original version, so I started a new one.

rainy surf, baking a cake and boxing

this morning the sky was grey and it looked pretty stormy, but we checked the surf and it looked kinda fun. I'm not sure whether it was because it was a little chilly or just the mood I was in but I really enjoyed it. and it reminded me of surfs back home when it feels like a storm is brewing.

Jeff and I baked a cake together this afternoon. It was fun.

we spent about an hour training on the boxing bag.... it's super hard but I love it

empowered, lifted and fresh goodness

this morning I got up early to make a call that I had been meaning to have for a while. It has taken me this long to find the courage and strength to face it, but now it's done, I feel incredible. I owned my situation today, does that make sense ? I felt like I was in control again, and that's good because I'm the only one who can make a difference in my life.

The buzz from my this morning's action gave me a lift and keep me feeling positive all day. It is so much better to grab the bull by the horns, I realised I've spent a fair amount of time hiding from it.

A yummy dinner of lamb koftas with garlic rice, and baby spinach salad....yum yum yum

words on my whiteboard, walking and tiramisu

finally I cleaned up the whiteboard in my office and wrote some goals up there to set me up on the right path each morning

this afternoon I was feeling a little blue, so Jeff took me for a walk to the beach. The combination of fresh air, exercise and a friend make everything better.

Jeff cooked a delicious dinner tonight, parpadelle with leek, thyme, prosicuitto, and garlic pangritata.... soooo good. We finished off our meal with a super yummy tiramisu that I had made this afternoon :) Double yum

freedom, reading on a park bench & cornbread

a decision was made today that left me feeling relieved, independent and free as a bird

whilst waiting for Jeff, I sat outside in the sunshine on a park bench and read my book for an hour

I love testing out recipes that are a bit different from the norm.... tonight I made cornbread to go with our chilli

learning to fold, roast chicken and jazz

ok, so this is going to sound ridiculous but recently I have taken great pleasure in learning simple new skills. Here's an example..... how to get melted candle wax out of glass holders (stick them in the freezer, and ta-daaaa ).Stupid I know, they are hardly life changing but somehow I get a real kick from it ! So today, I finally learnt how to fold an elasticated sheet....ha ha ha I know, I know, I'm no domestic goddess but wowzers I felt pretty damn proud putting my neat little sheets away in the cupboard !

simple and delicious roast chicken, with it's yummy smells drifting throughout the house early evening

we found a channel on our TV called ABC Jazz.... it's a digital radio station and I love it. It gives us the perfect alternative to watching tv, which let's be honest is so often dismal, unintelligent and brash.

mum's recipes, new blog and I fixed it !

my mum is compiling all her amazing recipes to make a book. Last night Dad asked me to make a list of my favourite recipes and food memories from Mum. The process that followed was sheer pleasure..... I spent about an hour reminiscing and scribbling my list down

so after some thought, and a little research I've decided to double my blogging efforts and start another blog. This one will be all about food, and everything that I love about it..... the recipes, the books, the restaurants, the favourite meals, the memories....

I've been pretty damn close to throwing my laptop through a window these past few days..... but I managed to find a temporary fix for it. Thank goodness.

ocean swim, long chat home and mindfulness

surf was small and windy today so we decided to go for a swim.... it was only when we were at the beach that Jeff realised that he had left his board shorts at home, so we walked far up the beach and quickly ran in for a nudie swim....ha ha ha so funny

a long chat with the people I love more than anything in the world

being mindful really pays off..... it's like a little switch in your mind that seems to default to 'off' if you're not paying attention

surf and nature, better breakfast and cooking for a bbq

an early surf in the sunshine with dolphins, whales and turtles... good for the soul :)

we made breakfast for friends this morning.... pancakes, smoothies, eggs & bacon... yum

the nice folk over the road invited us to a bbq so it was fun to rustle together some goodies to take with us... tried out an epic Jamie Oliver burger recipe,  some homemade bbq sauce, some aioli and some garlic and herb turkish bread.... sooooo good

strategic questioning, this might just work and support network

on my course at OzGreen I learnt about strategic questioning, which is basically about listening more, talking less and asking intelligent questions. Jeff and I tested it out today and got some pretty spectacular results.

a new little project that I've just started working on might just work....

I am so grateful that I have such an amazing support network surrounding me. Goodness me, I am so blessed.

new ideas, a little cupboard and dinner from nowhere

isn't it funny how a new idea can just appear out of the blue, and then suddenly, wham, you can't stop thinking about it ?! Some good ones came to me today and I'm excited

I have this beautiful little box that my sister gave me when I bought my first apartment in Hossegor.  It mounts onto a wall and has 4 little compartments inside that I use to store candles and other little things that need a home. The door is a blackboard so we've always got something that inspires us written on it. Anyhows, I was opening it today when the smell from all the candles wooshed out and made me think of very happy days in that tiny apartment with Jeffo.

Jeff is away up north on a training course, so it could be really easy not to bother cooking yummy meals, but tonight, out of a seemingly empty fridge, I made a super delicious pasta dish with sundried tomatoes, spinach and peppers...yum yum yum with a good glass of red wine

frog email, Elsie's treasure island and ray of hope

wrote an email today that I had been putting off for ages. I knew that I wanted to write it, but knew it would be difficult and couldn't quite figure out how to get started. Such a great feeling to hear that little swoosh noise when it sent !

a great friend of mine is moving to the Scilly Isles, and so today, whilst on skype we checked out a map of the tiny island she is moving to. It brought back memories of story books and treasure maps.

a little ray of hope...nothing huge but some potential good news.... that's nice

skype with the folks, a beautiful book and waiting for a map

skype is a magnificent thing...... I love that I can be eating dinner at home whilst chatting to my folks eating breakfast at their place..... there is something about seeing someone's smile that really makes a conversation a zillion times better

I'm reading an amazing book at the moment. it's called Foreign Tongue. It's about a woman who moves to Paris and becomes a translator for a literary editor. It is full of beautiful references to the amazing city of Paris, but also talks about the complexity of language. One of my favourites

I ordered a world map to stick up on the wall in my office..... something to scribble on, dream up some new adventures and remember all the awesome trips I've been on.... come on already amazon !!!

day of rest, wisdom from friends and love languages

after a busy weekend, we spent today just hanging out and relaxing. A few chores here and there but pretty much cruising at home ....nice

friends can plant seeds of wisdom..... you just need to nurture them so that they will serve you well

a book was recommended to me this weekend that I read ages ago, but am inspired to pick up again...

surf with Nic, connected with the sea and the rugby

a surf with an old friend..... the waves were pretty small, but felt so good to share them with Nic

I realised today one of the reasons why surfing is so good for the soul...... it doesn't matter where you are in the world, if you are in the ocean, you are somehow connected to your home beach and surf.... and that makes me feel happy

we went across the road to watch the rugby tonight..... so France didn't win, but they played well, and we hung out, laughed, and ate pizza.

breakfast with friends, moment alone and honesty

sharing breakfast with great friends that we see way too infrequently

in amongst the days activity and noise, I managed a moment of quiet to reflect on how I was feeling. It is good to be mindful.

wow, it is so rare, and so special to have friends who are willing to open up and talk about the grittier moments in life, and share their perspective, love and experience

middle of the night news, smell of the ocean and cooking up a feast

I had been waiting for this news .... and suddenly, at about 3am, there it was.... a text with the most awesome news I had heard in a very long time. Thanks for letting me know.

This one is a difficult one to describe.... there is a smell that I can't quite put my finger on that you sometimes smell when you are in the surf. The first time I smelt it was in South Africa on my first big trip. Now, everytime I smell it, I'm reminded of that trip, full of adventure and discovery.

Felt good to be cooking up a storm tonight.... an oldie but a goodie....Moroccan slow roasted lamb with chickpeas & green peppers, and a bowl of apricot couscous....sooooo good

early swim, laughter and yummy lunch

I woke up super early this morning so cruised across to the beach for a swim. There is something very special about being on a beach so early.... no one around, having the ocean to yourself ...bliss

Had a funny chat with a great friend today who was been on a similar journey to Jeff & I. The best thing about the call was that we just laughed a LOT. Sometimes it really is the best thing to do.

Mmmm a super yummy lunch...... chickpea burger with spinach, peppers, homemade garlic mayo and sweet chilli in a rye wrap..... mmmmm

an old friend, Jamie Oliver and fitness levels

I have an amazing friend called Ross. We hadn't spoken in forever, and so when he called today I was super stoked. He's one of those people that really understands ambition and drive, and the struggles that we face along the way. He's one of the good guys and I'm so proud to have him as a friend.

I've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution series.... wow, what an inspiration. He is a real hero.

This morning's boot camp was tough, but not as tough as last weeks. Phew, my fitness levels are slowly on the way back up :)

almighty blog update, follow your passion and a scented candle

wow, sometimes it can be pretty hard to keep this blog up. I have to admit that sometimes a few days go past where I totally forget to transfer my scribbles from my little pink notebook to this blog. So it always feels good when I'm totally up to date.... yipee

the course I went on with OzGreen was all about finding your passion.... it feels like it ignited something in me. I really care, I mean I really really care about food, and people learning more about it.  So many people don't care about what they eat, or where their food has come from. It's time to start putting a bit more love into our food, love for ourselves, love for each other and love for the planet.... ok, sermon over... for now

mmm I have a scented candle that smells of mistletoe, fig and cedar..... I love it

a day out, long skype and intelligent books

Super busy day with a little ray of sunshine and hope that ignited this morning and lasted all day.

A long skype that had a whole lot more good news in it than bad, which is the way it is supposed to be.

Wow, there was a moment last week when I had nothing to read. What a scary thought...... especially when you are someone like me who has grown up in a house full of books. Anyhows, I thankfully picked up a new book and got stuck in today. It's not the easiest read, but one of those books that feels like it will improve your intelligence levels :)

strategic questioning, compassion and pub dinner

we learnt something called strategic questioning today.... it was amazing. Tested it out on Jeff and realised I need to get a whole lot better at listening. It was worth doing the course just to learn this.

In a room with a group of about 15 people, all different backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living. So good to listen to their stories and realise how important compassion and listening to our hearts is.

home, shower, walk to the pub (checking out the awesome stars in the sky) for dinner with friends.... that's the kind of normal Sunday night I really appreciate...

just being, quiet time and blackboard menus

There was a lot of time for contemplation today...... and it felt good to embrace it

At lunch time I took some time out to be alone and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I ate at an awesome place overlooking the valley. It's a pretty simple cafe but I loved the feel of the place. There is something about menus that are on a blackboard that I love..... it means fresh, seasonal food.

being brave, getting home, and missing Jeffrey

started my Leading with the Heart course today in Bellingen..... had no idea what I was in for, so had to take some deep breaths and find some courage ..... so stoked I did

after 2 weeks of being at home 24/7, it was actually lovely to come home at 6pm after a busy day

the craziest thing I noticed today was how much I missed Jeff. I guess we've been together every minute of every day since we arrived. It was a good 'missing' though, a natural feeling that made me remember I'm married to my best friend

Nic & Luke call, yoga class and reality check

good words from wise friends

a yoga class that felt a little tougher after yesterdays boot camp.....soooooo good to stretch :)

Jeff had a moment today that caused us to stop and reflect. A reality check that really put some perspective on our problems. A realisation, that, in the grand scale of things, our problems are small and insignificant.

early start, boot camp and epic bbq sauce

yikes..... so I made a promise to myself that I would commit to trying out some new things.... so it was with  a little excitement and a little courage that I pulled myself out of bed this morning at 5.30am to go to boot camp

an hour of running up hills, boxing and generally being shouted at to go faster/harder..... not everyone's cup of tea, but I loved it and felt pretty proud of myself driving home at 7am having had a super hard work out and met a bunch of new people

sometimes you just get things right..... this afternoon I was to put my chipotle chillies to good use.... and busted out an epic bbq sauce (most of which Jeff ate before we even sat down for dinner... but hey, at least we've got the recipe sorted !)

a day with a purpose, jobs done and message from Dad

finally, a Monday morning that required us getting up early and doing some work.... it's amazing how quickly you get tired of doing nothing

we spent the day working through a list and did a heap of jobs.... felt good to feel useful again

my Mum and Dad sent me a message today that showed me how much they understand what we're going through, and what kind of news we need to hear..... thanks xxx

4 hour week brainstorm, garage sort out and time whizzing

I'm reading a really good book at the moment called The 4 Hour Week.... it really challenges 'normal' ways of thinking about work and business. Jeff and I spent some time this morning brainstorming and working on a task it sets out in the book. Awesome.

finally we hit the garage and spend a few hours sorting it out, making some space and being able to see the floor again ! Amped on starting boxing again :)

this afternoon was the first time since we got here that time just seemed to fly past..... before we knew it, it was getting dark and it was time to start thinking about cooking dinner..... it might sound ridiculous, but it made me really happy to feel it whizzing by.... it meant we were having fun

Jeff's folks come to stay, a quiet day and reading the papers

when Jeff's folks come to stay we tend to just kick back at home....  they arrived this morning with hearts full of love .... was great to see them and just spend some quality time together

we spent the day quietly, and I forgot how nice that can be

ahhh the simple pleasures of reading the Sunday papers... I think everyone has different ways to relish in the experience.... mine is to carefully skim through and pick out the sections (travel, food and eco normally) that I love,  sink into a comfy chair or spread them out on the deck and slowly devour the lot

a call from home, a reason to get up and love pouring in

had a long chat with my folks early this morning.... so good to hear from home :)

Jeffs folks are coming to stay tomorrow so we've got a few chores to do. Felt so good to jump up this morning and have a reason to get crack-a-lacking with our day.....

love really is pouring in from every direction. You could easily feel sorry for yourself at a time like this, but right now I can't believe my luck.

recognising a cycle, lunch at Saltwater and planning with Nic & Luke

when things aren't going too well,  it's good to step away from yourself and have a good look at what is happening. Today I realised that we were in a bit of a cycle..... nothing more than that. I couldn't fix it but it has definitely helped knowing what is going on.

Had lunch at Saltwater today..... just a quiet lunch reading the papers..... grilled Yamba prawns on crostini with roasted capsicums, garlic and rocket.... yum yum yum

our good friends Nic & Luke are coming to stay in a couple of weeks .... so excited to spend some time with them.... they called today to have a chat about their trip .... yipeee

humbled by the ocean, skype love and Jeffo making dinner

we surfed at Mullaway today..... it turned out the surf was a lot bigger than it looked. I got smashed, but walked up the beach and paddled back out at the point and got some waves. Felt so good to be humbled by the ocean, and to get back up and go again..... and succeed :)

so so happy to be able to skype everyone again.... had a long chat with Elsie tonight, so good

ok so it doesn't happen very often, but tonight, my lovely husband made me dinner..... sweet potato curry...yum yum yum

being connected, honesty and Blissology start

at last I have a mobile phone...... ha ha ha..... nice to be able to text someone to tell them I'm thinking of them.... bless technology

real friends are ok with honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations. I really respect that and am pretty stoked that I have friends who are ok with it too.

started today with a yoga work out from Blissology..... awesome stuff, full of positivity

wheels, the Amble Inn and a little bit of normality

yahooo.... we finally have wheels.... ha ha ha it's not pretty but we like it..... we stuck an aloha sticker on it and loaded it up with our boards... we're ready to go :)

dinner at the Amble Inn..... ha ha ha it always makes me laugh, such a funny place.... by no means a gourmet outing, but fun nonetheless !

glass of wine before dinner with friends.... simple pleasures

cooking, patience and strength

I know I've said this before, but I love the process of cooking. Picking a recipe, grabbing all the ingredients, pouring some love into it and preparing a yummy meal for someone you love. Such a rewarding process....

I need to improve my patience, but I'm getting there..... thank goodness

This past few weeks have tested us in ways I could have never imagined.... but the emerging theme is strength

Bellingen course, chocolat and food shop

last week when we had breakfast in Bellingen, I saw a poster advertising a course called 'leading with the heart'. Its about sustainability and being connected with the earth.... so today, I took a little courage and signed up.

this afternoon I watched an old favourite.... Chocolat..... what a great film, full of deliciousness

I really enjoy the process of sitting down, surrounded by cookery books, planning a weeks worth of dinners and then going out and picking up everything you need for all those yummy dinners. You come home and fill up the fridge and pantry, and know you'll be eating really good healthy stuff all week :)

early pancakes, remembering what is important and caramelised onion and feta tart

we woke up early and decided to make pancakes for breakfast...... I love it when we do that

today we really remembered what is really important..... what life is supposed to be about.... happiness, health, being outside, taking care of the planet and people you love.....

I made a caramelised onion and feta tart for dinner..... yum yum yum yum

Nic, dinner out and a swim in the ocean

lovely , lovely Nic..... who has always been so far away, and is now much closer..... it's funny how close friends can just pick up where they left off. She's awesome and as always, full of wisdom.

a while ago I read a book about Lisa Anderson, one of the worlds best surfers. She talks about fearlessness. Ever since reading it, whenever I have a little hint of 'scaredy-cat-ness' I say the word fearless in my head. I find it really works for me. Doesn't matter what the situation is..... today I was being a wuss and didn't want to swim in the ocean as I thought it would be too cold.... turned out to be super refreshing and invigorating...thanks Lisa

we ate out tonight with friends...... felt good to laugh, share stories and eat yummy pizza :)

yoga class, a shift in thinking and organic store

This morning I went to a new yoga class in Emerald..... a group of lovely people and a great teacher.... this makes me happy

during the class my thinking shifts..... it felt like I could sense the moment when my brain clicked into a new position, and said, 'ok, I'm ready to start moving forwards again'

nest door to the studio is an awesome little organic store...... packed with super delicious goodies. I buy some ginger covered in dark chocolate.... oh my goodness

sleep, Bellingen breakfast and being proactive

wow, the first morning that we have woken up and realised we slept all the way through the night.... the jet lag is finally going.... yipeeee

a breakfast in Bellingen.... it is a bit of a drive but totally worth it. Just to be outside, looking at the world from our sleepy eyes and realising that it really will get better every day

we talk today about being proactive, and seeking out new opportunities...... it is our future, and we can design it.... I think it's really important to remember that

just being, birds and an opportunity

in the past few months there has been so much rushing, so much stress and so much work, it is hard to get used to just 'being' and that being ok. But today, we reminded ourselves, hey it's ok..... just be...

the birds in the garden are so loud, it feels like they are welcoming us back

an opportunity, a new path that comes with some built in support..... nice to see

friends reaching out, surf at Arrawarra and dolphins

lots of calls, and emails from friends just checking in and making sure we're ok. We are very blessed.

we're soooo tired but we drive down to the point and surf at Arrawarra in the sunshine.

Halfway through, a big pod of dolphins cruise by and surf with us....life isn't so bad :)

midnight snack, together at 3am and Sunday papers

ahhhh the joys of jet-lag...... we sit together at midnight eating raisin toast in our pyjamas

and again, at 3am, but hey, at least we're together :)

Jeff gets up and walks over to the store and to buy me the Sunday papers. A really thoughtful thing to do.

home, shopping mission and it's ok to let go

turning the key and remembering that this is our place, we made this..... it is our home.

a stupidly jet-lagged, early mission to the supermarket turned into half of hour of laughter

ok, we're here, we've made it, it's ok to let go and just be

Singapore airport, hawaiian pizza and familiar roads

I love Singapore airport..... and I just realised why...... they have carpets.... no, thats not what I love, but I think they are the reason for the peace and quiet in the terminal. I swear it's the most peaceful airport I've ever been to. Well, thats my explanation anyhows.

It's late, we're feeling jaded and hungry...... so we seek familiarity..... ahhhh Hawaiian pizza.... thank you

It has been a while, but these roads are familiar, and that feels nice.

thankful, anonymous travel and mindless tv

I am thankful for this opportunity to start again, to learn from my mistakes and find a new path to happiness

travel is so anonymous..... from the moment you step off a plane, and join the crowd moving in and around the airport, you step into an anonymous world. Sometimes that feels nice.

On a long-haul flight, when the hours stretch ahead of you like an endless motorway in the sky, you can take some pleasure in sinking in and watching some mindless tv, knowing that there is nothing more useful you can do with your time right now.

a great club sandwich, sleep and surrounded by love

ok, so sometimes you've got to strip it right back and take stock of the really simple things that are making you happy right now. Like the super delicious club sandwich I had, it was magnificent.

sleep, much needed, much deserved and much appreciated

even as the miles between us grew, I felt surrounded by love

rain, closure and soup with Alex

I love the rain.... it certainly has its place. There are awesome days when the sky is so blue and the sun is shining so bright, but there are others when the sound of the falling rain feels so right.

some closure today..... lots of sorting out, throwing out and re-organising. You know me, I love that.

Alex messaged me in the middle of the day inviting me round for soup.... what a perfect thing to do on a day like today. I really liked that the soup also came with a hug.

some answers, home and a friendly face

more meetings and more questions, but this time there were also some clear answers and clear direction. Gotta love that.

Home, I think the older I get the more I appreciate it.

We met someone new today, who surprised me with their compassion. A really friendly face in the storm.

fresh start, Ali and 50 First Dates

everyone has a chance for a fresh start, in some form or another. It gives you hope and motivates you to keep going, and keep smiling.

it is at times like these where you feel so incredibly blessed to have such phenomenal friends. Ali, is just that, phenomenal.

Tonight I watched 50 First Dates, I've seen it a zillion times but for some reason I love it. Maybe it's the sunshine, maybe it's the Hawaiian feel to it or maybe that it's just the fact that love conquers all. Gotta love a happy ending :)

through leaves, flowers and Gordie

I read something, years ago about 'through leaves'. It inspired me so much that it has become something I really believe in..... anyway, today, whilst walking through some autumn leaves I was reminded of it, and that made me happy.

Flowers delivered from friends...... bright, colourful and full of love. So grateful.

Gordie, one of those old friends that you love dearly, think of often but rarely spend enough time with. Felt his love today xx

options, a swim in the ocean and my hero

so it turns out, no matter how bad things are, when you look at them deeply, and with some perspective, you have more options than you realise

we made the most of the sunshine and went down to the beach and jumped in the sea. The ocean has an amazing quality to refresh the mind as well as the body.

Jeff has shown his real self to me so much in the past few days and weeks, and I feel an even stronger connection to him and a real sense of his strength and love.

a funny movie, a normal moment and a job application

tonight we watched a funny movie.... it was goofy and silly and it made us laugh heaps

there was a point during the film when I looked at Jeff smiling and enjoyed a moment of normality

a job application, a little ray of light and a new pathway

appropriate weather, packing and ginger flapjacks

today the sky was dark grey and full of clouds, but I was grateful for them. It seemed appropriate and gave me exactly what I needed.

Ahhhh packing again, one day I'll look back on this blog and maybe find that my views on packing have changed, but for now, I still find it therapeutic.

I have no idea why, but I've been craving ginger flapjacks..... and so today, I spent some time measuring ingredients, stirring, mixing and tasting. Yum.... simple pleasures

some answers, my Dad and our lovely accountant

finally, a little clarity and hope and some answers. Finding an expert always helps :)

my Dad, my hero, my best friend. A wise and kind person who will be your rock when you need it the most.

our accountant has shown remarkable compassion in the last few days...... isn't it interesting to learn more about other peoples' stories, we're all a lot more alike than we realise

boat, bravery and family

a boat ride, that signifies much more than the physical journey from one place to another. Amongst all the turbulence, it felt like we were going in the right direction.

I look at my husband and admire his bravery

back in the arms of family, who seem to know exactly what to say and do. Their love and support is incredible.

sleep. relief and awesome Elsie

we all know how important sleep is, and I think that during stressful times, it becomes even more important. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to rest.

in a mix of emotions, I can definitely feel relief. I know this is hard, but I know we made the right decision.

some friends just stand out don't they. Elsie is one of those, always there, always ready to support, love and give phenomenal advice. She's amazing and I am so lucky to have her.

Eat, Pray, Love, a safe place and together

I flicked on the tv, and the movie 'Eat, Pray, Love' was on. Bizarre coincidence or a little nudge from the universe ? Either way, it was the perfect film to watch, full of beauty and wise words.

a safe place where we can create a temporary bubble, and just focus on looking after each other

wow, we're in a really tough place right now, and I am super thankful that we are together. I cannot imagine having to deal with something like this alone.

a call with our mentor, lost but then found and a decision

sometimes things happen for a reason. Tonight, I was on sending an instant message on skype to our old business mentor in Aus. It must have been about 3am over there so I was surprised when he replied immediately. He said he couldn't sleep for some reason and wandered downstairs for a drink when he saw the message pop up on his screen. And so, at 3am aussie time we proceeded to have a much needed coaching call. They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears.

A horrible situation turned out to be a real dose of perspective. We were lost there for a few hours, and when we found one another again, it made us realise what was really important.

tonight we came to a decision, probably the hardest decision we have ever had to make, but definitely the right one. I'm proud of our courage.

haven at home, cleaning and meatballs

our little apartment is a quiet space that can act like a retreat if you need it to be.

cleaning is a little like cooking, not anywhere near as fun but it is a simple task that you can decide to do that feels pretty damn good once you've finished

delicious meatballs for dinner with a super yummy tomato sauce, its been forever since we had these

spaghetti, bubble and me/Jeff teamwork

One thing (there are actually zillions) that I love about cooking is that it is a constant, dependable and enjoyable activity that you can always achieve. Does that make sense ? What I mean is that no matter how horrible your day, or whatever your circumstances, you can get in the kitchen, put your heart and soul into cooking something delicious, and sit down with someone you love for a good meal.

creating a bubble is sometimes the best form of defence

we're a solid team, and the best proof of that is when you have to pull together in hard times. We're doing that now

life after this, dinner at Chez Monette and forgetting

we spoke today about the future, about 'life after this'. It felt kinda wierd, but mainly it felt really good to see that this situation isn't permanent.

we had an impromptu dinner date at Chez Monette, eating yummy food and talking about love and life. Remembering what it is that is important to us.

sometimes its nice to just forget about everything, just for a moment and just be still. It's not very easy to do, but I think I managed it today.

shorts, a quiet spot and surrounded by love

today I wore a pair of shorts I bought about 6 years ago. Jeff said, 'wow, I remember those, they remind me of when we were travelling in Mexico'. For whatever reason, I suddenly felt pretty happy that I was wearing a little piece of that awesome trip.

sometimes you need to find a place to go, and just be. I did that today.

friends and family seem to know when to reach out and hold you up instinctively.

honest conversation, best friend and feeling super blessed

sometimes you just have to let it all out and see what happens next. Being honest is always the right thing to do.

My husband is my best friend, I can see that so clearly and I feel it so strongly.

Despite all the chaos, craziness and risk around me, I feel incredibly blessed to have such love around me. I am very lucky indeed.

the most phenomenal parents ever, long swim, and love & support

I can't really explain what today was like in normal words, but I'll try. It was a surreal day, filled with so much love and support.

My folks wrapped me up in their love and took care of me. I don't think it matters how old you are, sometimes you need to feel that unconditional love from your parents and to be told 'hey, it's going to be ok'

I swam in the ocean twice today, once with Ali laughing and focusing on what is good about life, and the second time far far out to sea, behind Rocco tower in water that was so calm it looked like oil, and so blue it looked like the Caribbean. The beach was deserted and the sun was blazing. The whole thing was pretty surreal, I literally breathed in every minute of it. I could have swum forever.

I went to bed tonight with such a full heart. Incredible.

yikes I got on the boat, smooth crossing and home SWEET home

a mission home that meant a very speedy drive and constant phone calls to Condor to see if someone could squeeze me on the boat... it wasn't until (literally) the last minute that I was allowed on, phew what a relief

the crossing home was gorgeous, so smooth, so sunny and filled me with a sense of calm, and set me off wondering what the universe has in store for us next

wow, sometimes arriving home just blows me away, like all my senses are heightened and my family home stands out for the beautiful sanctuary that it is

Jeffo's manifestation, a burst of excitement and a blissful dinner at La Bodega

wow, today, something that Jeff had been manifesting for months just seemed to land in front of him. Amazing

His good news travelled fast and suddenly there was a burst of excitement and activity.....

we had a very late dinner at La Bodega.... on the harbours edge, with the twinkling lights on the boats, and a warm breeze in the air. It was blissful

green lights all the way, almost there and little escape

a song came on the radio today called 'green lights all the way'. I turned it up loud and tried to manifest it.

we're so close now, I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I've found a little spot, hidden away where I can go and breathe and be in a quiet space.

gratitude for my folks, quiet night & fresh mex

my folks... what can I say, they're awesome and they give the best advice ever

a quiet night at home, a few chores, a hot shower, and cooking a delicious meal for my husband

fresh mex.... it's what I call delicious mexican food that hasn't been fried, covered in cheese and sour cream.... its fresh, zesty, spicy and oh so yummy

PB & J, faint smell of woodsmoke and so proud of Jeffrey

Don't know why, but right now I can't get enough of peanut butter and raspberry jelly baguettes

mmmm Autumn is around the corner, and I can smell woodsmoke in the air

tonight we had a big meeting that showed me just how awesome my husband is, how much work he has put into everything and how freaking proud I am of him

surfing with Jeffo, photo album and book reading

wow, a Sunday surf together.... its been a while, and the surf wasn't that great but it felt so good to be in the water together

when we got home, I made a photo album full of beautiful memories called Simple Happy Days.

there is something about sneaking into bed to read a book on a Sunday afternoon that just feels so right

new bike, candles and moving furniture

I kinda splurged today and bought myself a new bike.... its purple, and it makes me feel free !!

burning candles is such a simple way to make a place feel calm, the smell, the flicker of warm light .... love it

we moved the couch today, I remember when I was a kid I used to love moving furniture around. Not sure why, but it definitely has a positive edge to it

baking a cake, empowering decision and a picture of happiness

baking a cake....... a simple thing to do that gives me such pleasure. Giving that cake to someone else is an added bonus :)

we made a really hard call today that took real courage, and I'm really really proud of us

there is a picture that I have stuck up on my wall at the office. We took it when we were in Mexico about 5 years ago. It is full of happiness and joy. It reminds me of very happy, simple days

back in the swing of it, Jules and after work SUP

ok, back to work today...... felt good to be back in the swing of it and part of the team

an awesome message arrived today from someone who really appreciated some words I had sent. Some people in life just seem to stop you in your tracks and make you remember what is important. I don't really know why, but Jules did that for me, and her shiny smile inspires me to follow my heart.

after a crazy day, we cruised to the lake for an after work SUP.... just splooshing around in the cool water, and washing off work

new lunch spot, message from a far-away friend and sunshine

we found a new lunch spot today.... well I say we found, but its actually next door to our office. Mmmm super fresh yummy noodles.

a message from a far away friend who I haven't seen in forever. We think the same way, and that's nice.

the sun was blazing today and the sky seemed extra blue

ahhhh running, fresh air and fuller day

pretty much forced myself to go for a run today....... but of course, despite my initial crankiness it was totally worth it

fresh fresh fresh air. I love it.

today was a fuller day, with lots more in it. I'm no good at doing nothing, better to be doing something. Makes me feel like I'm living, doing nothing makes me feel like I've stopped.

a shift, manifesting and out of office

sometimes all you need is a shift in attitude to start turning everything around

manifesting some good stuff ...... and remembering the law of attraction

ahhhhhh the fantastic 'out of office' and the freedom it gives you :)

walking, swimming underwater and togetherness

we walked to the markets this morning along the lake..... its so rare that we go for a stomp together that I relish every minute

lots of time spent at the pool today..... the surf was pretty crappy so it felt like the best place to be. Swimming underwater really is one of my favourite things to do in the whole world.

just hanging out, goofing out.... remembering that there is so much more to life than work

tourist day, swimming in the sea and sun baking :)

we spent the day as tourists today in the blazing sunshine..... together...... it felt great

swimming in the warm sea and wishing I was a mermaid....... lush

a weekend, a blanket, a beach, a husband and some sunshine = happy sunbaking

its done, sunny lunch breaks and a very good quote

wow... a bold move that took a lot of courage and strength, and feels like a huge weight off our shoulders

lunch breaks in Hossegor.... sunshine salads by the pool

I heard a great quote today that I feel like I need to tattoo on my forehead :) Never sacrifice happiness for the sake of achievement. The real key to life is to happily achieve.

accept it, un jumbling and sorting and dinner at La Station

sometimes you just have to accept things as they are.... and today, I needed to accept that it was time to take a bit of a break....

unjumbling, unpacking, sorting and stacking..... a day of chores and getting settled that gave me the opportunity to stop thinking so much

a lovely dinner at La Station with my lovely husband..... lovely

a smooth ride, driving home to Jeffrey and time to breathe

breakfast with Nany, SUP in the car and a smooth drive all the way to Hossegor....

felt good to be driving South again, in the direction of my husband

Got here about 4pm and am under strict instructions to take some time off and relax...... time to breathe, slow down and just be

priorities are changing, lovely friends and Nany

busy day with busy thoughts, but an underlying thought that my priorities are changing, and that I need to listen to that one. Pretty thankful for the reminder.

so nice to know you have rainy day friends as well as sunny day ones :)

got the last boat to St Malo tonight, and arrived at Nanys at about 10pm... she was waiting up and we sat in the lounge and had a catch up before going to bed..... she is such an amazing grandma... so unbelievably grateful to hang out with her like this xx

thank goodness for husbands, drinks at the splash and surf school memories

having your best friend and husband as your co-director is not always easy, but it is definitely always a blessing. I felt so grateful for my husband today.

Grassroots de-brief today..... it went so smoothly that we were left with a few hours to kill before dropping the guys off at the airport. We ended up sitting in the sun outside the Royal Yacht and then relocating to the beach to grab a beer at the Splash.....ahhhhh the Splash, a wealth of happy memories and simple days.... felt so nice to be back down there, felt like home

hanging at the beach triggered some memories of the surf school days.... and that made me think about what was great about those happy days..... lots of fresh air, lots of sunshine, lots of time in the ocean and a very happy, simple soul :)

long hot shower, face mask and packing the car

a relaxing Sunday, taking the time out to get ready for the week ahead..... its amazing how brand new you can feel after a long hot shower

ahhhhh face masks... a quick and easy way to make yourself feel like a million dollars..

not leaving till Tues night, but busy few days ahead so got a head start and started packing the car and getting ready for the trip.... always get a little excited packing for a trip :)

new car, a pile of books and Dads birthday dinner :)

wow, talk about manifesting something good...... this morning I picked up my new car.... shiny, new, and mine.... that's exciting

I drove into town (in my shiny new car) and picked up a stack of new books....literally a stack.... wow, so psyched to start reading

dinner at The Grill tonight for Dads birthday, and ate the most AMAZING wild mushroom risotto I have ever eaten in my life !!!!

Yahooo it's Friday, a plan full of hope and awesome awesome parents

wow... the past few weeks have been hectic to say the least... and so Fridays seem to roll around kinda slowly but they are oh-so-welcome

some quiet time with Sara this arvo making plans, scribbling things down and drawing messy diagrams..... plans full of hope

my folks are beyond amazing..... you seriously couldn't find two more phenomenal people on this planet

I've got this one, numbers man and dinner with friends

my lovely husband took control of a situation this morning..... such a relief to have someone by your side who can say ' Don't worry about it, I've got this one'. Thank you

our numbers man has a sense of calm and positive thinking....I like that

Jess & Wags for a yummy dinner..... very grateful to have such awesome friends here in Jersey..... nice to go out, laugh, and forget about work :)

manifesting, a relief and a whole lot of love

today was about manifesting..... it has started again and I'm back on track....

a difficult task today that had been buzzing around my head for the past few weeks was tackled head on and dealt with.... what a relief

Jeff and I spoke a lot today, a bit about work, a bit about this and that, but mainly about how much we missed each other ... there's a lot of love there

a beach start, bizarre opportunity and yummy sushi with a yummy family

sometimes you wake up and you know that you just need to start your day at the beach.... it gives you perspective and a clear, fresh start

something appeared today, an opportunity from a long lost contact, like a ray of sunshine and a more than just a flicker of hope

we had take out sushi tonight.... what I love about the Moffat household : you walk in the door and it smells of lavender and lemongrass, the feeling of zen and calm, the oh so apparent wealth of love in the family, the good times we have together and the excellent friendship.... thanks guys, you're the best :)

a poke from the universe, a plan B and my amazing parents

today felt like a day to start turning things around..... and during a skype call to Jeff, the universe sent me one of those 'hey ! I'm right here' little messages

feels so good to be working on a plan B, an umbrella plan, a road into the future

my folks blow me away..... they substitute themselves for best friends, mentors, support crew all whilst being phenomenal parents at the same time

kiwis, nectarines and strawberries, a lovely home and a great friendship

a mix of kiwis, nectarines and strawberries this morning..... a sunny way to start the day

spent some time with friends today at their place...... a home full of love, that makes me crave a place like that for me and Jeff. In fact, it re-ignited a plan.

Alex popped in this evening...... with a beautiful gift and a card with something very lovely written on it. Such a great friend. So grateful.

pyjama day, lovely friends and a new book

I knew from the moment I woke up that today would be a pyjama day...... filled with naps, reading the weekend papers and looking after myself

Jeff left this morning, and so it was extra special to get a text from a good friend, just checking in and giving me lovely options for my weekend plans

wow....I've been reading a LOT recently..... seems to be the only place my mind is still.... new book tonight :)

Rob, flowers and a beautiful dinner

Robs funeral today.... so sad but in a way, so uplifting. He lived a full and happy life, always with a smile on his face and full of joy. We can all learn a lot from that. Thanks Rob for being such a ray of sunshine, you have inspired me to follow my heart

I came home to a huge bunch of flowers and some beautiful words from my husband. Thank you xxx

we went out for dinner at the Oyster Box. It was a special date, full of emotion, love and strength

family support, Pizza Express and care

a really tough day..... but my awesome family rallied around me, lifted me up and made me feel so grateful for their love

at times like these, Pizza Express is all you need..... simple, consistent and familiar

I felt the love of my husband and family wrap around me tonight like a warm blanket