Seems Like Yesterday

Exactly 1 year ago, my adventure to Blogher 2013 began. I fell in love with Chicago and New York, and the love affair continues today.

 

Reflection

I've been officially unemployed for 20 days now.  Without job, lady of leisure and my personal favourite semi retirement are phrases being kicked around.

Despite a lack of money and feeling very weird, I'm doing okay. It was good to go away for school holidays but now we are back, and school has begun, I'm trying to get grounded and work out what to do next.

I must say that I don't, for one moment, regret resigning from my job.  It feels as if a dark cloud has been lifted, yes cliche I know but a fitting one. I now realise how ridiculously busy I was, how much stress I was carrying around and how I've been missing out on so many different things.

I'm definitely calmer, I can feel it in my soul. Those feelings of worry about fitting it all in, of doing things half heartedly and not having enough time have gone.

My choice has been a good one.

And I've been baking!  Yeah I can't believe it either!  Homemade treats for the lunchboxes, thank you very much!  I'm making an orange and chocolate chip cake tomorrow because we have an abundance of oranges and mandarins on our trees.

They are delicious!

Today the kids and I walked down to the trees and picked some fruit, it was such a beautiful day.  Not a sound and such peace and quiet. These precious, easy moments are what I've been missing.

I plan to have many more.

To Belong

I was born and bred in a regional city in New South Wales, with a population (at the moment) of around 21000 people.  I grew up surrounded by family and friends, and felt comfortable and safe with the familiarity of my hometown.

For the last 18 years I've lived in Queensland, the last 6 of those on our farm. This is now my home, where I am raising my family and I couldn't think of any other place I would rather be.  Fresh clean air, a country lifestyle and beautiful weather!

We have just returned from a school holiday roadtrip back to my birthplace, 3200 kilometres in total, and all I can say is thank God for ipods, ipads and portable dvd players!

We drove inland through many small country towns, and we like to go this way as the scenery is very pretty and interesting. We have our usual traditions of course, the Rocket Ship Park at Moree, and our most favourite cafe for breakfast in Narrabri Watson's Kitchen.

I was the first to spot the huge radio telescope at Parkes, winning me a fredo frog thanks Hubbster and we laughed at each crazy sculpure of the quirky Animals on Bikes.

It was so good to see my family, albeit for a short time.  I really miss them, distance is a hard thing to deal with, especially when it becomes time to leave. 

I hate goodbyes.

There is something so grounded about revisiting old haunts.  The familiarity, the nostalgia, the emotion of belonging somewhere.  The delicious memories of growing up and discovering yourself.

I love my hometown and I'll always have that, but I love my new home, I really do.  This is where I belong now, the country hills, the beautiful weather, the peace and quiet of our farm.

It's been a dynamic change and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Tell me about your hometown,  What are your memories?