Finally the T-J's have a home.
5 minutes from Bay St shops
5 minutes from Brighton Beach
Que sera, sera
Move date 5th April 2012
......................and breath
Friday, 30 March 2012
Thursday, 29 March 2012
The difference between Africa and Australia is....
Dave, the characterful Zimbabwean Landlord of our local, the Noel Arms once exclaimed:
"The difference between Africa and Australia is this, if you get bitten in Africa, it might kill you, if you get bitten in Oz, it will kill you!"
Thanks Dave but it got me thinking about this amazing country and continent that has now become home.
It is the world's 6th largest country and the world's largest island. It is the only island that is a continent and it is the only continent that is a country too and it is the only nation that began as a prison.
It is the home of the largest living thing on earth, the Great Barrier Reef.
Coming back to Dave, it is true! It has more things that will kill you than anywhere else on the planet. Of the world's ten most poisonous snakes, ALL are Australian. Five of its creatures, the funnel web spider, box jellyfish, blue-ring octopus, paralysis tick and stonefish - are the most lethal of their type in the world.
80% of all that lives in Australia, plant and animal, exists nowhere else. Well that's 81% now cos Oz will soon take possession of an animal that is also a salad vegetable pretty cool eh? lol!
It is the driest, flattest, hottest and climatically aggressive of all the inhabited continents. Only Antarctica is more hostile to life than Australia.
So its gotta have some major plus points then eh? Talk to anyone and they LOVE it here.
Perhaps the pictures should do the talking. I went walk about today, come on my stroll with me xxx
I have had a busy morning, I was ever vigilant but luckily never encountered the box jelly fish or the blue ring octopus.
I did however open a bank account and catch a tram - now that's what I call brave!
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
The Wonderland Suite
My new home.
The sun had just risen and I watched it do so as we made the approach. Most symbolic I thought.
Hubster was there. After what seems like an eternity of keeping my nerve, being strong, pinning on the grin and digging deep through this whole process, with all it's highs and lows, I dissolved.
Like a lost puppy who had found its owner, I let him scoop me up and I was safe once more. It felt good to relinquish all power and responsibility and let him take hold of my reigns and lead me.
..........to the Blackman.
An oddly named hotel, which will be home for a little while. A brave name too I thought. The name has nothing to do with ethnicity however and everything to do with figurative art.
Named after the extremely famous Australian artist Charles Blackman. Every true Aussie knows him and his work which is widely recognised the continent over but it's all new to me.
 |
| Alice on the bathroom door! |
Not to my taste, but then I don't class myself as a great purveyor or judge of art. What do you think?
Our suite is fabulous, inspite of the bizarre artwork. Named after a series of "Alice" themed works by Blackman, I think it is very apt indeed.
I feel a bit like Alice right now setting foot into a wonderland with all the trepidation and curiosity that she must have felt.
But the picture I love best of all is this one, from the balcony.
Back to the Blackman though, I love the concept don't you? What an honour and tribute to the man, his work and his life, he must be so proud of it.
If I was to open such a place it would have to be called The Radish, of course and I would have no problem at all in filling it with appropriate artwork and pictures.............now there's a thought!
Would you come and stay?
Friday, 23 March 2012
In that still and settled place!
In that still and settled place there is nobody but you.
You're where I breathe my oxygen.
You're where I see my view.
And when the world feels full of noise my heart knows what to do, it finds that still and settled place and dances there with you.
Edward Monkton
But I have to go and dance a new dance now for a little while, in another place, create some new threads on my life's tapestry and be with the one for whom I breathe my oxygen.
For the next blog you might have to turn the screen upside down.
Love and light always, Mrs T-J
.
You're where I breathe my oxygen.
You're where I see my view.
And when the world feels full of noise my heart knows what to do, it finds that still and settled place and dances there with you.
Edward Monkton
But I have to go and dance a new dance now for a little while, in another place, create some new threads on my life's tapestry and be with the one for whom I breathe my oxygen.
For the next blog you might have to turn the screen upside down.
Love and light always, Mrs T-J
.
Friday, 16 March 2012
The time has come...the little bird is about to take flight!
Today is my birthday, 42 big uns!
Its a strange one.
Hubster has been squirrelling away my birthday cards all week so I had a lovely and surprising clutch to open in bed this morning.
However, among the birthday ones, we had Bon Voyage ones too. So heartfelt and special words....
There were tears.
There was this one, beautiful words, inside the card too but they are for my eyes only.
So true and it resonated so much with me.
I recall that little bird started tweeting about 3 years ago to be honest.
You see I am not really a routine kind of gal I have decided. Definitely not your "Fish on a Friday and cottage pie on a Wednesday" every week sort at all.
I love spontaneous most of all and if I feel things are getting too samey, I start to feel trapped and a tad rebellious (in a non-anarchic way)
Anyway when my inner bird started getting restless, I threw some thoughts up to the universe.
Time for a little change me thinks, what do you reckon you lot up there?
YOU WANT CHANGE? WE CAN SHOW YOU CHANGE!
And so it is and here we are.
That little bird is now squawking like a native Ozzie Cocatoo. Let me at em!
Will you share our adventure too? xxx
Breaking the no pressie rule, Hubster bought me some beautiful Australian Opal earrings. Chuffed to little pieces really and happy that he broke the rules, thats why we make 'em eh?
Its a strange one.
Hubster has been squirrelling away my birthday cards all week so I had a lovely and surprising clutch to open in bed this morning.
However, among the birthday ones, we had Bon Voyage ones too. So heartfelt and special words....
There were tears.
There was this one, beautiful words, inside the card too but they are for my eyes only.
So true and it resonated so much with me.
I recall that little bird started tweeting about 3 years ago to be honest.
You see I am not really a routine kind of gal I have decided. Definitely not your "Fish on a Friday and cottage pie on a Wednesday" every week sort at all.
I love spontaneous most of all and if I feel things are getting too samey, I start to feel trapped and a tad rebellious (in a non-anarchic way)
Anyway when my inner bird started getting restless, I threw some thoughts up to the universe.
Time for a little change me thinks, what do you reckon you lot up there?
YOU WANT CHANGE? WE CAN SHOW YOU CHANGE!
And so it is and here we are.
That little bird is now squawking like a native Ozzie Cocatoo. Let me at em!
Will you share our adventure too? xxx
Breaking the no pressie rule, Hubster bought me some beautiful Australian Opal earrings. Chuffed to little pieces really and happy that he broke the rules, thats why we make 'em eh?
Monday, 12 March 2012
It's still home
Stone walls do not make a prison, nor iron bars a cage.
Yes that is true; and something more I find, sumptuous antiques and gilded walls can never make a home either.
Well its not quite as we knew it but it's still home. A house where love abides and friendship is a guest is still surely a home.
....and that will always be the case - wherever we are.
Our 9th move in 17 years! You would think we might be used to it by now wouldn't you?
Simple answer is, no, its always a tough process.
But none as dramatic and so long drawn out as this one. Oh yes we had to go the whole hog didn't we?
Lets just how see how big a move we can do this time? God help us if they do create a living habitat on the moon!
I am beginning to apologise in answer to that question:
"Haven't you gone yet?"
"Sorry no we haven't but it wont be long now!"
But it really isn't long now. Two weeks today in fact. Two weeks! (well less than a week for the Hubster)
The first one arrived in the post this morning. Goodbye, hmm no, we don't like that but
Toodle Pip?
Bon voyage?
Yes we can cope with those can't we?
Really relishing the garden, hosting the last of British spring times we will enjoy for a little while.
The plum blossom is particularly lovely.
The fish have woken up too after their long sleep during the winter months
I might let Hubster break the news
Remember where love abides and friendship is a guest, is all that's ever required
Yes that is true; and something more I find, sumptuous antiques and gilded walls can never make a home either.
Well its not quite as we knew it but it's still home. A house where love abides and friendship is a guest is still surely a home.
....and that will always be the case - wherever we are.
 |
| Radders temporary bedding situation! |
 |
| No Mama, you might just have to explain this one to me again, I am not impressed. |
Simple answer is, no, its always a tough process.
But none as dramatic and so long drawn out as this one. Oh yes we had to go the whole hog didn't we?
Lets just how see how big a move we can do this time? God help us if they do create a living habitat on the moon!
I am beginning to apologise in answer to that question:
"Haven't you gone yet?"
"Sorry no we haven't but it wont be long now!"
But it really isn't long now. Two weeks today in fact. Two weeks! (well less than a week for the Hubster)
The first one arrived in the post this morning. Goodbye, hmm no, we don't like that but
Toodle Pip?
Bon voyage?
Yes we can cope with those can't we?
Really relishing the garden, hosting the last of British spring times we will enjoy for a little while.
The plum blossom is particularly lovely.
The fish have woken up too after their long sleep during the winter months
I might let Hubster break the news
Remember where love abides and friendship is a guest, is all that's ever required
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
A taste of things to come
Less than a month to go now until our antipodean adventure begins... I keep trying to think of the life that lies ahead.
Goodbye rural idyll, hello city living. I feel like we are doing this turn about face. Dont you do the city living in your sapling years and the rural kind in your maturing ones? Well never one for convention, this is how it's going to be.
There is much to do to get us there still and there is of course the ongoing matter of finding a home!
We could be there though, but I am not divulging too much, after 2 failed attempts there will be no joyous domicile declarations until the ink has dried..................
however....................
if all goes to plan, this could be the view we have from the balcony.
Its only an ikkle picture because I only want to whisper it under my breath..............just in case
Goodbye rural idyll, hello city living. I feel like we are doing this turn about face. Dont you do the city living in your sapling years and the rural kind in your maturing ones? Well never one for convention, this is how it's going to be.
The shipping company arrive next week to pack up our belongings and pop them in seafaring container. Just one insignificant little box among hundreds on a vessel like this. Could take 3 months to reach us. The most travelled leather sofas in the world!
There is much to do to get us there still and there is of course the ongoing matter of finding a home!
We could be there though, but I am not divulging too much, after 2 failed attempts there will be no joyous domicile declarations until the ink has dried..................
however....................
if all goes to plan, this could be the view we have from the balcony.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
You just have to go with the flow!
Today we have been sifting through shelves of well thumbed books, photo albums, maps and treasures from times past, collected menus, travel tickets, little souvenirs etc....
Shall we take that, store this, charity shop that or bin the other?
Its quite a tough call letting go of some things that evoke some wonderful memories of great times shared but with our move just weeks away now it is a necessary task.
Whenever we have had a special holiday I have always tried to keep a journal, yes you always remember the over all experience but you do forget the detail and today I picked up a journal I had written back in 2005.
I opened a page and read an extract, it instantly transported me back there. There was one especially poignant detail, that I now remember being a little bitter sweet at the time. If I could have gone back and told my 35 year old me, it will work out just fine I would have done.
I would like to share this excerpt with you.
************************************************************************************
".........we woke up this morning to grey skies and rain clouds but it was still very hot. We really hoped the rain would pass, firstly because we had booked a private BBQ on the terrace of our villa over looking the Indian ocean, just the two of us, well almost, a Chef and Waiter too! Secondly we hoped the rain would pass because a Japanese couple were to be married today and we wanted the sun to come out and bless their union.
It did. We watched the bride embark the Maldovian Dhoni boat to sail off to married life where the ceremony was to be held on the nearby Embudhoo Atoll. Her dress was a rich creamy silk and she had orchids in her hair. The only odd thing about her attire were the Abba style white, patent platform boots she wore beneath her dress!
As we returned to the villa our Chef, Indiga and out Waiter, Jackson were politely waiting for us by the door. We cleaned our sandy feet in the water urn and padded barefoot into the villa.
Walking out onto the terrace, a truly lovely sight unfolded before our eyes. A table delicately dressed with candles, orchids and foliage from the tulip tree, leaves entwined in a twirling pattern around the circumference of white cloth.
Then we noticed the BBQ tucked away on some decking just below the splash pool. It was throwing eager, dancing orange flames and our Chef, Indiga, stood proud in his pristine starched whites with a smile as bright and clearly relishing his moment on stage. Jackson, our Waiter was equally as smiley, asking us the same questions that every staff member does here.
"Where you from?"
"First time Maldives?"
"How long you stay?"
"You like?"
Conversing with mirth in truncated pigeon English, we all got along fine, Jackson cracked open a bottle of ice cold Chablis, we clinked, lent back into our chairs and gazed dreamily out to the watery horizon and bid the sun goodnight.
Jolted from my reverie, Jackson handed me our evenings menu, the words jumped off the page.
I smiled inwardly at their charming typo of our name and at the same time felt a little sting of tears too. Why? Because I was no longer a Mrs, not a Mrs T-J and not even a Mrs Tamble.
"Name right?" Jackson enquired
"Just perfect" I smiled.......................................
************************************************************************************
I did wonder at the time if that holiday would produce the question ensuring a future reinstatement of Mrs T-J. But it didn't.
I had to wait another 2 years for that and it was worth every second for that holiday in Botswana 2007 not only saw a popping of the question but a surprise wedding too!
So where is the moral in the story?
I think looking back at my journal the lesson that constantly reinforces itself in my life is this:
Let life flow just as it should. If you try to force things, you push your life down tributaries it isn't meant to go down and you lose the flow and direction of the mighty river of life.
Be patient and go with the flow and things just work out fine in the end.
With love and light. Mrs Tamble xxx
Shall we take that, store this, charity shop that or bin the other?
Its quite a tough call letting go of some things that evoke some wonderful memories of great times shared but with our move just weeks away now it is a necessary task.
Whenever we have had a special holiday I have always tried to keep a journal, yes you always remember the over all experience but you do forget the detail and today I picked up a journal I had written back in 2005.
I opened a page and read an extract, it instantly transported me back there. There was one especially poignant detail, that I now remember being a little bitter sweet at the time. If I could have gone back and told my 35 year old me, it will work out just fine I would have done.
I would like to share this excerpt with you.
************************************************************************************
11th - 23rd November 2005 - Coco Palm, Maldives
".........we woke up this morning to grey skies and rain clouds but it was still very hot. We really hoped the rain would pass, firstly because we had booked a private BBQ on the terrace of our villa over looking the Indian ocean, just the two of us, well almost, a Chef and Waiter too! Secondly we hoped the rain would pass because a Japanese couple were to be married today and we wanted the sun to come out and bless their union.
It did. We watched the bride embark the Maldovian Dhoni boat to sail off to married life where the ceremony was to be held on the nearby Embudhoo Atoll. Her dress was a rich creamy silk and she had orchids in her hair. The only odd thing about her attire were the Abba style white, patent platform boots she wore beneath her dress!
As we returned to the villa our Chef, Indiga and out Waiter, Jackson were politely waiting for us by the door. We cleaned our sandy feet in the water urn and padded barefoot into the villa.
Walking out onto the terrace, a truly lovely sight unfolded before our eyes. A table delicately dressed with candles, orchids and foliage from the tulip tree, leaves entwined in a twirling pattern around the circumference of white cloth.
Then we noticed the BBQ tucked away on some decking just below the splash pool. It was throwing eager, dancing orange flames and our Chef, Indiga, stood proud in his pristine starched whites with a smile as bright and clearly relishing his moment on stage. Jackson, our Waiter was equally as smiley, asking us the same questions that every staff member does here.
"Where you from?"
"First time Maldives?"
"How long you stay?"
"You like?"
Conversing with mirth in truncated pigeon English, we all got along fine, Jackson cracked open a bottle of ice cold Chablis, we clinked, lent back into our chairs and gazed dreamily out to the watery horizon and bid the sun goodnight.
Jolted from my reverie, Jackson handed me our evenings menu, the words jumped off the page.
"In Villa BBQ for Mr & Mrs Tamble"
I smiled inwardly at their charming typo of our name and at the same time felt a little sting of tears too. Why? Because I was no longer a Mrs, not a Mrs T-J and not even a Mrs Tamble.
"Name right?" Jackson enquired
"Just perfect" I smiled.......................................
************************************************************************************
I did wonder at the time if that holiday would produce the question ensuring a future reinstatement of Mrs T-J. But it didn't.
I had to wait another 2 years for that and it was worth every second for that holiday in Botswana 2007 not only saw a popping of the question but a surprise wedding too!
So where is the moral in the story?
I think looking back at my journal the lesson that constantly reinforces itself in my life is this:
Let life flow just as it should. If you try to force things, you push your life down tributaries it isn't meant to go down and you lose the flow and direction of the mighty river of life.
Be patient and go with the flow and things just work out fine in the end.
With love and light. Mrs Tamble xxx
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
What is your secret?
"Well what is your secret?" she inquired
"I really would never have known that about you, you just dont exude that stuff"
Well its no big secret at all, truly. For me it is a choice, a conscious one and actually very, very simple to practice, that is once you have decided you want to.
However hurt you're feeling, no matter how much you have been hurt, - hide the secret scar because time really does bring it's healing. Just see things for what they are.
I try to be forgiving, - loving more, not less. Life after all is for living and for packing in happiness.
Thats it, my secret, simple really, although I do have to remind myself of my own mantra because life is testing.
A word of caution, just because some people make it look easy, doesnt mean it is! No-one has it easy.
"I really would never have known that about you, you just dont exude that stuff"
Well its no big secret at all, truly. For me it is a choice, a conscious one and actually very, very simple to practice, that is once you have decided you want to.
However hurt you're feeling, no matter how much you have been hurt, - hide the secret scar because time really does bring it's healing. Just see things for what they are.
I try to be forgiving, - loving more, not less. Life after all is for living and for packing in happiness.
Thats it, my secret, simple really, although I do have to remind myself of my own mantra because life is testing.
A word of caution, just because some people make it look easy, doesnt mean it is! No-one has it easy.
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