BACK TO EARTH

The holiday is over and day to day living here in The Hills is back on the agenda. Not that I mind. I have written before about the joys ( or not) of raking vast amounts of leaves and clearing firebreaks.

I have come to accept that I have left behind my 'town' life. I no longer don jacket and skirt to look professional and support clients at case conferences. I no longer have to tear my hair out trying to find some money somewhere from a social services system that is dying for lack of cash and compassion. Court reports are a distant memory and liaising with colleagues in the Social Security and Council housing departments is not part of my daily diary.

I no longer buy prepared food from Marks and Spencer ( because getting home late meant there was not time to cook) and I do not crave a glass or two of wine at the end of each working day.

I have given away all my black/navy blue and dark green jackets. I have two skirts and have only worn them a couple of times since moving to Australia. All the shoes with a sensible heel that were worn to court/case conferences have long since gone to the local Op shop.

Now I have chosen to work part time and see a handful of clients three times a week. I am not doing paperwork. I hope I am enabling people to continue living at home, supporting them with their personal care. I am constantly humbled in what was my blinkered perception of older people.

Today, I worked with these people ( see this post) and once again was pole- axed by their devotion and determination. I came home and went out into the garden.

Last week the Bear and I moved 2 tonnes of Jarrah firewood. As you can see from the image above we gave up on any idea of neatly stacking it. I watched him today, split some of the wood...............totally in awe. I have still to master the art of lifting those huge pieces of wood and cracking them open. I was so pleased when I managed to chop the kindling for a week!

Then today the compost bins were calling me! I am attempting to create a huge mounded garden bed to be planted with native flowering ( and therefore bird attracting) shrubs. This bed is gradually being formed with all the compost from our three large bins. Today it was time for layer number two. I managed seven wheelbarrow loads, before a large mug of Lapsang tea started appearing before my eyes. The next step is to buy several bales of Pea Hay for layer number three, it was time to stop for tea.

So, here I am with the time to reflect on my change of lifestyle. Back to earth in so many senses and although there are still the problems that beset us all, I would not have it any other way. I can no longer 'live' in the UK, just before the holiday ended I was looking forward to 'going home'.

THE PATH

' .....Nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things.....'

Gerard Manley Hopkins

PARIS

Euro Star at Gard du Nord

The Portrait

From the top of the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower

The Art Nouveau church St Jean-de- Montmartre

Sacre Coeur

The Tourist Shots

A Paris notebook

• The kindness of strangers
• A 'seedy' hotel room opposite a park ( just perfect)
• Pastis and Cognac
• Croque Monsieur
• Freshly washed streets every morning
• Cigarette smoke in bars
• Using my french
• 1000 ways to wear a scarf with style and elan!
• Baguette and strong coffee for breakfast
• Metro, fast, efficient and grubby
• The Eiffel Tower, the view from the top was Paris laid out perfectly just for me!
• Montmartre. Walking, walking, up and up.
• The portrait. One and half hours for a likeness of both of us. So real.
• St Jean-de Montmartre. Art Nouveau wall paintings and stunning mosaics
• Coffee and more coffee and always perfect
• Sacre Coeur. Walking through it's dim light and lighting candles for loved ones
• Getting lost on the Metro together
• Dinning out every evening AND making ourselves understood
• Sitting in cafes and watching the world go by
• Men and women greeting each other with four kisses
• Holding hands

PARIS QUIZ

WHERE?

Tell me where we were and I will post the 'tourist' images.

Also, when I have found my Journal ( we are back in Australia and our cases are still only partially unpacked!) I will attempt to convey my feelings about Paris.

Click to enlarge images.