Tag Archive for winter

Bike Riding in the Sunshine

26/06/2011 Joh family, random

Today we went on a long walk along Traralgon Creek with the kids in the sunshine. It was beautiful. I love Victory park on a sunny winter day. It is a great park and the creek was running well from all the rain we’ve had. The kids enjoyed riding over bridges and along the paths. We stopped and watched some kids in the skate park. There were some real littlies on scooters, they were very brave. I enjoy watching our kids improve thier confidence on their bikes. The weekend’s weather was very enjoyable. We had long walks/rides both Saturday and Sunday and it was great to be out in it.

I have my laptop back! I haven’t spent that much time over the weekend on it, but it is good to have it back. It was too sunny to be couped up inside this weekend – have to get my vitamin D whilst it’s there:).

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The Longest Night – Winter Solstice June 21/22 2011

21/06/2011 Joh astrology

It’s the dark times of the winter solstice. It’s freezing outside. Tonight is the longest night of the year for those of us living in the Southern Hemisphere.

I’ve been reading about it on Wikepedia – Winter Solstice. There are a lot of historical cultures that have celebrated this as a time of rebirth. I find this one of the times that we here have lost due to our being on the other side of the dominating cultures of Europe and the United States. It is a festive time for those cultures due to Christmas being placed so nearby. Here though, it’s just another day that can pass without awareness.

Interestingly a lot of facebook statuses I’ve read in the last few days have mentioned tiredness. The term is winding down at school, so teachers and students have been working to meet the deadlines that rush at the end of a semester or term. We are also probably tired because it is dark so early and it feels like we are staying up later. It’s cold outside, which takes more energy to manage too.

Kim Falconer has some hints for the solstice, that you may like to ponder or celebrate. I’m off to spend some time in the bath, reflecting about what I am letting go of.

The great news is, it’s going to get lighter from here!

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Colder than Before

11/05/2011 Joh food, random, work

It’s really cold here. I think my weekend with Tom on Hamilton Island has made it seem even colder! I enjoyed looking at all the photos and clips his friends captured of the weekend on facebook. Good times!

After working through the summer in the kitchen I thought I would never wear anything long sleeved in a kitchen, EVER! Today I did. It’s not even winter yet. Our delicious food helped though. It all smells so much better and tastes every bit as good as it smells. This morning I was home doing a last minute book keep for the BAS return (due tomorrow) and as soon as I hit the arcade I could smell the food and knew I was heading in the right direction.

It has really taken me until today to come back to earth after the weekend. I have had early nights the past two nights but I feel quite good now and back into my routines.

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I Dream of Rearranging

31/03/2011 Joh holidays, home

Today one of my past students visited me at work. It’s always lovely to see them. He asked me what I was doing for Easter. The first time someone has asked me what I’m doing for my now drastically reduced holiday period. I realised what I would really like to do and what I usually do at Easter holidays is stay home and rearrange. In fact if I look back on the past that is what I’ve usually done at Easter. If I were to do a timeline on rennovations to my home, painting, etc it would often be at this time of the year. I like this time of year. I really love Autumn light.

It’s when I set myself up for winter and each sunny day is appreciated. It requires a rethink of living space.I want to move our furniture so we are facing the fire, instead of having it to the side. I want more blankets draped around the lounge room. I want a rug on the tiles. I want to prepare for the colder times ahead.I want to prune the summery things from my wardrobe and make sure I have the warm clothes available.

Daylight savings ends Sunday. I’m looking forward to winter. It’s more comfortable working in a kitchen when it’s not hot outside.

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A Midwinter Night’s Dream

22/06/2010 Joh astrology

It doesn’t have the same ring to it as a midsummer night does it? Ah well the good thing about the Winter Solstice is that we are heading in the right direction now… towards longer, warmer, lighter days. If you want to read a lengthy detailed horoscope about the solstice (one that actually acknowledges it is winter in Australia even) go to Michael Lutin. *link only lasts this week though!

I have been having quite vivid dreams lately and this morning one of the year 12′s shared a particularly ridiculous dream she’d had starring me as a vegetarian. It must be dream season.

There is an eclipse heading our way and the vibe is around already according to the astrolgers I’m reading. Mystic Medusa: To Do Before the Eclipse Baggage Blitz expresses in her minimalist and take it or leave style that I love how to manage it all. In other messages I recall we need to expect others to be frazzled and handle them with care. A bit of ‘expect the unexpected’ has also been mentioned about the traps.

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Winter Sunrise at Queenscliff

20/07/2009 Joh holidays, relationships, travel

Our first night away we left a little later than intended. We had dinner at the Drysdale Hotel, and then headed on to Queenscliff. There is a heap of building going on down at the ferry, looks like a commercial development. I didn’t notice it last time I was there. I hope it doesn’t spoil the vibe of the place.

Queenscliff Sunrise Winter 2009I got to enjoy a sunrise at Queenscliff in the winter. It was colder and I was staying at a place around the corner from the Queenscliff Inn. I was wrapped in a blanket, wheras last time I was in shorts and a singlet. The bed was uncomfortable in this well decorated place, yet that was probably what led me to being up early enough to see the sunrise. I think the room was too small for me. I need space! The breakfast was lovely, my eggs were perfectly cooked.

Queenscliff in winter is much quieter. Many of the shops weren’t open and there was barely a soul about. The pub on the corner was very quiet when we went there for a beer before retiring. I enjoyed the quiet chat in front of the fire there without the crowds and noise. It was a relaxing first stop after an interesting day.

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Midwinter

21/06/2009 Joh astrology, family

The winter solstice today marks the shortest day. Aquarius Papers has an article about this year’s solstice, although based in US it’s the opposite season. We’re heading back to summer now.

Last night there were celebrations all around such as this one at Federation Square. In the wikipedia article I read with interest that the celebrations are to combat depression and malaise brought on by the darkness of winter.

I had a housewarming I was meant to go to last night at my brother and sister-in-laws. I didn’t go. I feel bad about it. I hope they had a great night. I really want to visit them in their new home, but the end of term, the middle of winter and with Darin working Saturdays, it didn’t feel doable. I had an early night in last night and I needed it.

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Wintry Nights

09/06/2009 Joh family, film, relationships, work

I have to go out tonight. We have an information session at school for potential mentors. I can’t believe anyone will turn up on a cold, wet and dark night like tonight. I’ve been dreading it since I got home. It’ll be better once I actually leave so I can stop the dread! Darin will cook dinner for us and I can look forward to that when I get home.

The Capricorn moon must be working it’s thing on me right now though because I have managed in this time to complete the ‘reports’ task I set for myself to do tonight. I didn’t do as much over the long weekend as I should have so it’s a relief to tick some boxes. Today was quite productive. I did break half a tooth though, so that kind of put me off my nougat chocolates that I’ve been consoling myself with. Looks like I’m going to have to switch to a mushier treat to get me through this week.

I am feeling more upbeat today than I have for a little while. I talked to Tom tonight and he sounds well. No work yet, but he has plans. He sounds healthier too and he assures me the warmth there is having a positive effect. I am happy with that. Darin and I went to see ‘My Year Without Sex’ yesterday. We drove to Southland. Those good films never make it here and I didn’t want to miss it. I really enjoyed it. I appreciated that he drove all that way for me in the cold and rain after having very little sleep the night before. His daughter was up during the night with a bad cough. Not only did he go to that effort, but he also enjoyed it with me. He is quite a lovely man.

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Dark Much?

15/05/2009 Joh work

Tonight we walked down to the shops to get stuff to make risotto (which was v.v.yummy by the way). On our way back through the park, I noticed how dark it was. It was only 5ish. We’d finished dinner and were watching a film by 7pm. It was totally dark and felt like 9! In summer I am lucky to start cooking by 7! Winter is creeping rapidly.

I feel better about work today. I’m over it. I think getting home before 5 tonight helped too. I like to do my corrections, check my emails and check out stuff online such as education blogs and resources for classes at home. When there was more flexibility in our workplace I was often home just after 4 and I would happily do any work stuff interspersed with housework and hanging out with the family all evening. Now that we are having meetings most nights until 5, I’m just not doing any of the above. I feel resentful to be honest. If the meetings were adding value to my learning or organisation, or even effectiveness at doing my job, I would have no problem with them. They are not though. I feel like I am being held captive. I find it difficult to stay awake even. Anyway… enough of that, I’ve got long service leave in around six weeks, perhaps I really do need it.

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The Snow with Mexicans

28/07/2008 Joh friends, learn

Mt Baw Baw July 2008My friend Rhonda has a couple of students from Mexico staying for a few days. She called today to say they were going to the beach for the afternoon and inviting me along. I love the beach all year round so I readily accepted the invitation casting housework and other mundane chores aside, without a thought. Then they called back and changed the excursion to Mt Baw Baw. This wasn’t quite the same for me with my aversion to cold, but hey….

We had a fabulous day! The two Mexican’s lads were great. We didn’t get up there till the afternoon so opted to toboggan instead of skiing, which I haven’t done for years….. well since I started learning to ski.  It was a hoot! Two of the people in the group had never experienced the snow before. It was falling very gently when we were there.

The new road I mentioned earlier in the week makes it much easier to access Baw Baw from the Valley and I expect we will head up there for a weekend soon to have a ski. I’m so pleased because I have been reluctant to go up there after having a few drives home, tired from skiing and wishing I didn’t have to drive.

We had a great dinner together tonight and exchanged a few customs, listened to some great Mexican music, cleared up a few assumptions we had about each others countries and laughed a lot.

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