Year: 2020

  • The Christmas Weekend.

    The Christmas Weekend.

    The tree has just come down at SSG Manor 2.0.  It’s been pulled apart or perhaps disassembled is a better description of the care I took.  The branches for each tier have been tied together with pipe cleaners from an arts and craft kit.  Everything’s been compressed and defluffed to make sure it all fits…

  • Christmas Eve in Unusual Times.

    Christmas Eve in Unusual Times.

    It’s been a marathon to get here and at times it felt like even the spirit of Christmas wasn’t a match for the obstacle course of a year that had to be conquered to reach December 25 but we’ve miraculously found ourselves here on Christmas Eve willing and able to celebrate tomorrow.  Albeit under some…

  • Three Days Into My Three Week Staycation.

    Three Days Into My Three Week Staycation.

    I’m three days into my three week staycation and life is good.   I can feel my batteries recharging with each wander up the road to the shops for coffee and lunch.  The stubborn knots in my mind and body unkinking as another day passes without my having to deal with the traffic and the myriad…

  • Hotel Lockdown 2.0.

    Hotel Lockdown 2.0.

    You would have thought that with a send-off like this on Friday (my last day of work for the year) that 2020 would have taken the hint, read the room and declared the rest of the year drama and bad news free. But no, the year that keeps on giving has spoken from its almost…

  • Let the Celebrations Begin.

    Let the Celebrations Begin.

    And breathe…… because the official countdown to the SSG Manor 2.0 annual season of celebration can now officially begin. I’ve done my last weekend for work while the summer school holidays have also officially begun. It’s been quite a year for all of us but I think school life was probably the subject of the…

  • In Which I Cancel My Gym Membership.

    In Which I Cancel My Gym Membership.

    I didn’t expect myself to be as emotional as I was but it was what it was. After almost eight years, I ended things with my gym.  For all the usual excuses and reasons.  Variations on the theme of basically not being there enough in recent months: – the mum / work / life balancing…

  • A Sentence (or Two) A Day: November 2020.

    A Sentence (or Two) A Day: November 2020.

    Time’s just hurtling by, isn’t it?  This has definitely been one of those years where that’s been a positive.    November has had its moments for me.   Ranging from the very good to the very ordinary – they’ve all been memorable and character-building if nothing else.    My first takeaway coffee of  November was sipped…

  • How About This Heat, Sydney?

    How About This Heat, Sydney?

    I’m going to say it because I doubt there’s a soul in Sydney today who hasn’t said it as well. How.  About.  This.  Heat.  It’s energy-sapping and almost soul-destroying in its ability to make everything too much effort.  And it’s been relentless in pursuit of all creatures great and small.  Sun  up or sundown, the…

  • Consciously Un-stressing.

    Consciously Un-stressing.

    It’s just under 4 weeks until I’m off on annual leave and I’m consciously un-stressing in anticipation.  Going for the fuss-free option wherever possible.  Leaving things off my ‘to-do’ list if they are neither necessary or contributing in a positive way to the un-stressing process.   Just breathing.  Just being.  Just seeing.  It’s all sunshine and…

  • Less Than Forty Days Out….

    Less Than Forty Days Out….

    It’s beginning to look a lot like summer / Christmas / birthdays / New Years. To be honest, I was a little frightened that the holiday season glimmer that I usually see this time of the year filtered through would be a no show but fortunately this hasn’t come to pass.  I’m a creature of…