After what can only be described as the weirdest few months we are finally experiencing some “normal” summery weather and life feels as if it is returning to normal. No longer do we wake up to a smoky horizon, our beautiful outlook is back in full view. It is as if someone has popped some badly needed prescription glasses on and suddenly everything is clear and defined and colourful as if a black and white movie has been transposed into glorious technicolour.

The grass has come to the party, sending out runners EVERYWHERE (hello weeds and invasion of my flower beds) and greening up the entire neighbourhood. Once again it is a pleasure to sit on the veranda and drink in the serenity, watching the cows rip out the fresh new shoots instead of crunching on the crispy brown offerings of a few weeks ago. Its going to be a long haul with plenty of back up rain needed but hopefully our local farmers will soon be able to stop the hand feeding as nature takes over. It’s not quite the same story inland where the drought has been ongoing for 7 years and what few animals are left have not had any grazing for their entire lifetime. On Australia Day a wonderful group called the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners took 181 trucks of hay from Victoria to Armidale to farmers in need. It was quite a sight as you can imagine and little towns turned out in their full force to clap the truckies as they passed through accompanied by much happy horn blowing by the guys behind the wheel who gave up their long weekend to do something great.This is the 7th year they have made the run, choosing different locations each year. Although it only offers temporary relief it shows farmers how much people care and want to help them. They also carry donated dog food, fruit and veggies, pantry essentials, toiletries and household goods to the more isolated properties providing them with much needed items.

Prior to Australia Day Lauren and Myla flew back from Tassie to spend a fortnight with us before heading back to Vietnam. Unfortunately this was in the smoky weird phase but we did manage a couple of excursions to the beach and nearby towns. Parking in Kiama Downs and walking over the headland to Minnamurra for brekky was lovely and we enjoyed it all the more for the rareness of a blue sky day! Uncle Tom and Bailey came along too and Tom discovered yet another gem of the South Coast!

Every year a few friends come down to stay for a Lozzy catch up and we enjoyed having them here. Estella, 3 just LOVED Bailey and had many a snuggle with her, even covering her with her favourite blanky!She was also a very good helper giving Myla a bath in the kitchen sink!

Needless to say Grammy and Pa thoroughly enjoyed having our girls here and happily took Myla while Loz worked (the life of a freelancer never stops) and she happily accompanied Pa on the mower – not at all fazed by the loud motor – and loved having swims in the pool (once we cleaned all the ash and burnt leaves out…the dust continues to be a challenge…) Of course just as we were really getting to know her little ways she had to return to Ho Chi Minh but the knowledge that they will be back permanently in Australia this time next year makes it a bit easier to handle. That and the fact they will be back for Sam’s wedding in just 2 short months time!

Fun with our little Myla Moo

One of Lozzy’s friends, Matilda, has led a parallel life with both of them spending time in Europe to learn languages at 16, Loz in Paris and Tilds in Turin where they managed to catch up and share a few experiences. Tilds has a gorgeous little girl Mia who is 10 months older than Myla who was also born in Asia as Tilds also lives the expat life but in Indonesia. They both enjoy the same things about being away and miss the same things about home so it was great that they managed to have a night together in The Meadow with their bubs. We enjoyed a few hours on the beach at Gerroa before waving them off!

We had a quick visit to our dear family friends in Callala Bay where Myla got to have a paddle and we managed to squish in some special time in Sydney with Myla’s great grandfather where young and old got on swimmingly in the way that only those each end of the age spectrum can! Finally Loz caught up with her special girls at their annual lunch at North Bondi Fish where Myla made a 5 minute appearance before I whisked her away.

I had hardly any time to change the sheets and spruce up the high chair before the other half of the family arrived for the Australia Day long weekend – we have been so lucky to see so much of everyone lately and while Tom is here too. Little Cooper is growing fast and crawls at the speed of lightening. He is in heaven down here with all the extra space and with all the nooks and crannies to explore so it’s not exactly relaxing but it is such fun to see him so interested and curious about everything. Sometimes we have to employ the use of ‘Alcatraz’ while we do something but it’s wearing a bit thin with our little boy so I did have a chuckle when I walked in to see this….

As the wedding is getting close there was much chat about “the to do list” and how we are physically going to manage it all with 2 babies of 11 months and 13 months!! Luckily GG aka Great Grandma and my amazing 83.5 year old Mum will be here to lend an extra pair of hands or read them a story while we prepare things for The Recovery the day after the wedding. It is always such a nice relaxing fun day after all the pomp and ceremony of the actual wedding and a great opportunity for all involved to catch up informally with guests. Let’s just hope the weather gods are on our side!

So with just a few weeks before GG arrives I am being extremely disciplined with food (no carbs) and drink (one glass of wine on Saturday and Sunday only) to shed the squidgy bits prior to the next couple of months celebrating my imminent 60th birthday, the wedding and being here with Mum. Two weeks in and I’m doing well. Not loving it but loving the results and I can see there are a few dishes and habits that I will stick with going forward or it will all no doubt come back in the blink of an eye!! It’s always tough to change the things we love doing but in this instance it feels GOOD and there is something about a New Year that fills you with the desire and drive to become the best you can be, a newer better you and as usual the thought of change is worse than the reality so as a BIG birthday looms I am going to make the most of every minute and opportunity that comes my way to be the best I can be. It’s never too late folks!!