Escape

Living with a shift worker is hard. Living with a shift worker who also studies full time is harder. Living with a shift worker, who study’s full time who is also a ghost writer is my crazy reality. It is totally nuts, while I do see my lovely lady every day, actually being able to kick back together and just chill is a rare occurrence. Trying to get away for a weekend is near impossible when you only get 1 weekend off a month, but don’t make plans because someone might call in sick and you might be needed – crazy huh? So when we finally got the chance to escape we took it – 3 nights camping in our new Marlin Camper at Cundle Flat Farm.

 

It was windy and a bit fresh. It was out of the way and totally isolated. There was no wi-fi, no phone reception and no power. There was no traffic, no neighbours and no harbour glow. There was however hot showers, flushing toilets and fresh air. There was open fires, a gorgeous river and pecan trees galore and best of all we had the place to ourselves. It was perfect. Just me and lady kicking back – no uni to do, unable to be contacted in the event someone did call in sick and no current writing gig. We chatted, we enjoyed the autumn sun, she read and I knitted. I chopped wood (and looked like a lumberjack to match) and cracked pecans as requested. We cooked on the open fire and created wind breaks when using the stove (hence the table laying on its side). We got to just enjoy each others company with out the distractions of modern life. We took time to appreciate this precious time away as we know all too well how sacred they have become.

 

       

Time

Time is funny thing. It can feel like it moves oh so very slow at times and other times you blink and a new day is upon you. In just a moment it can stand still and a moment later change you forever. It heals wounds and makes memories. It is always moving and never stops, even if you want it to. It defines your first and last breath and ages you before you know it. It is a constant in everyone and everything’s lives. To some it seems meaningless but to others they would do anything to stop it, go back or fast forward through it. Time is so many things but ultimately it is nothing more than a measuring tool. Something that defines how long or short something or someone is here or there or everywhere. So why talk about time? 4month, 13 days. That is how long it has being since I posted here. I have wanted to, I really have. There has been so much I have wanted to share with you, teach you and experience with you. But things have got in the way. There is always a way to use time more wisely I know, but I didn’t have it in me. For 4 months I didn’t want to add something else to the day, when there was just days of wanting to get by and nothing more. I know this makes it sound like 4 months of sadness, but it hasn’t been. It has been awesome at times, plenty to celebrate and rejoice in, but there was sadness, much sadness.

 

In this post I mentioned a tiny little fighter. She was so strong and fought so hard but at 3 months her little body grew tired and she never got to go home. She was a gorgeous and cheeky little one who has left a massive footprint on this Earth. These were the hardest and some of the most beautiful days I have ever been part of. There were tears and hints of laughter, there was reflection and reminders of how fragile we really are. But most of all there was support. We supported each other and our friends and held out our hands for her parents. Parents who will never stop grieving and know all to well how time does not discriminate.

 

There were happier times though. My lady secured another ghost writing gig (I will reveal about the 1st ghost writing gig real soon I promise), which came with an all expenses paid trip to Bendigo, VIC. I wasn’t keen on being left behind so I tagged along as I really wanted to go to the Bendigo Woollen Mills. I have only been once before but this is like yarn Mecca! So worth the trip. While she spent her days interviewing and writing I took in the town – the architecture, the parks and of course the Mills (no pic sorry). 

 

   

Another big time consumer was I participated in my 1st, 2nd and 3rd triathlons and joined an awesome local training group. Doing a triathlon was always something on my bucket list but I never felt I had the “body” for it. Now I have never really suffered from body image issues but having only seen women running along in swimmers competing in triathlons I always thought “I would knock myself out within 5 metres of running in just swimmers”. But upon doing more research sports bra under swimmers is the done thing so when my friend asked if I would compete in one I was quick to jump at the chance. Result? I’m hooked! These are the pics from my last triathlon, the first the lady was able to attend. She wasn’t too pleased about the 5am wake up but she took awesome pics – she even spotted me swimming the harbour – that’s me in the centre on my own! I having another one coming up in just under 3 weeks and can’t wait! (Oh check out the man in front of me in the 2nd pic – his swimmers are inside out. It cracked me up the whole way to the swim start lol)

 

       

Last but not least. Master B’s parents have gone their separate ways. My lady has been a tower of strength to her best friend and I have looked after Master B so she was able to return to work. He is such a funny kid and though not yet 2 (almost) he natters away to you in full sentences, counts to ten and will point out his colours. I am loving the time I am spending with him and when it comes to nap times at “Nomi’s” house he gets to sleep on the big bed. He gets pretty excited lol.

 

So these are the big things (there is one more thing but it will get a post on its own shortly) which took away time but there was also a few other things along the way. Before I go any further – MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Better late than never right? lol.

 

In brief -

• I gave it an earnest go at trying to get full time work. No joy there.
• The lady’s grandma passed away. While unexpected at the time she had been unwell for sometime.
• I took the lady to her first live cricket game in Sydney.
• I had a pressure test done on my calves for compartment syndrome which all came back negative.
• A trip to Coffs Harbour for a week.
• Sewing, knitting and crochet which I’m giving its own post shortly.

 

Lastly, I want to say a huge thank you to a lovely lady who emailed me to ask how I was and if I was going to revive this blog. I was in two minds about whether I was going to not because I didn’t want to, but more so I wasn’t sure people actually read it. So thank you. I am really excited for what’s to come and time is no longer going to be an excuse I need this blog. It is my connection to a world of awesome people who don’t live nearby.

A trip and now I’m back

Where have I been? I haven’t popped in for awhile I know. But this time I wasn’t at home, as we took a much needed trip away! We packed up the car and headed North for a spot of camping to unwind and recharge (of sorts anyway).

 

Our destination? Well, originally we were heading to Red Rock, a tiny seaside town where you camp literally over the sand dune from the beach but right on the river bank too (it’s on an estuary in short). Perfect for floating down the river and catching waves. However (you so knew that was coming), the weather had other ideas, yep those are fantastic and gorgeous storm clouds you can see below. The camping sites were under water and the weather was looking threatening so a change of plans was in order.

 

After checking out a couple of other camping grounds it was clear that wasn’t going to happen for the first night, so we checked ourselves into a lovely hotel (complete with buffet breakfast) till morning to reassess what our options were! As morning broke we were greeted with this fantastic day as we headed down to the beach from the hotel. Yep we were the only ones to be seen and my lovely lady posed for photos!

 

 

 

 

But we hadn’t packed up the car to go camping to stay in a hotel so we headed into Coffs Harbour and checked into Park Beach Holiday Park. This place holds lots of memories for me as my dad hails from these shores. Every year or so we would head up the Pacific Hwy from Sydney and camp at the very holiday park I was now staying at with my lady, I’ll admit while the location is the same the grounds have changed a lot! We got the tent up, the sunshade up, the camp kitchen up and then relaxing set in! There were swims at the beach, swims in the pool (with bonus injuries lucky me – tip head first down the waterslide ends bad if you put head down too soon) and lazy strolls around the park. I crocheted and cooked dinner and the lady edited away AKA put red pen all over someone’s manuscript, which is her idea of fun and relaxing! (Writing a book? Want it edited? Check her site out HERE) 

 

 

After a few days of chillin’ we went for a drive out to Dorrigo just cause we could. There were dirt roads, farms, forests, roadside forages, rivers and water falls and limited photos (sometimes taking out the camera goes into the “oops I forgot” basket)!

 

 

To top off our time away we spent time with my Aunty’s, Uncle’s and Cousin’s! It had been 2 years since I had seen them all so the trip was long overdue! AND I got to meet my new second Cousin for the first time!! She was too cute and very proud of herself as she learnt to push her walker and stand on her own (and she isn’t 1 till May)! Hopefully it won’t be 2 years till I see them all again!!!!

After all that it was time to head home, back to the reality of work and paying bills. But a few outtakes from our trip to leave you with:

• Not only did I smash my nose on the waterslide going face first, I also managed to crack my knee on the step getting out of the pool. I hit it that hard I was lucky not to have cracked/dislocated my knee cap which is now sighting a lovely bruise!
• The trip to Dorrigo wasn’t so straight forward. We decided to go the back road through a town called Coramba. However after driving the 30mins or so out there we discovered the road was closed and we needed to drive all the way back into Coffs Harbour, down the highway and out the other road. What was meant to be a leisurely 2hr or so trip turned into a 4.5hr epic!
• I sat on a camping chair and went straight through. Yep I broke the chair. Lucky the family were close, a quick call, a 10min car trip and we had seating again!
• When the morning came to pack up to head home it rained. And rained. And rained. Needless to say when we got home everything need to be dried. (This is the worst thing about camping – when it rains you pack up twice!)