TODAY'S TREASURE

I had a brief but wonderful visit from my brother Steven & his wife Donna. The weather was perfect & we enjoyed a trip around Southbank & part of South Yarra.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Getting caught in the Melbourne rain & becoming drenched to the bone!

"A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightning" - James Dickey

TODAY'S TREASURE

My husband & I have just discovered "True Blood" & got through the whole of season one in just two sittings! It's been ages since a TV show has delighted me so much - I just love it. It brings together so many of the things I like such as vampires & folklore - all with a spicy Cajun flavour. Watch it!

TODAY'S TREASURE

The first day of Spring!

Despite the day being grey I could still sense it.....the change. I threw off my jacket and put on a floral scent & went along with a song in my heart.

"No matter how long the winter, Spring is sure to follow"

-proverb-

TODAY'S TREASURE

Getting home moments before the rain & capturing a beautiful rainbow just on dusk.

"My father says that there is only one perfect view, that of the sky over our heads." (George Emerson in A Room with a View by E.M. Forster)

TODAY'S TREASURE

Waking to the sound of a bird singing on my balcony - there were countless perches to choose from but he chose mine.

"The song was wordless, the singing will never be done"

-Siegfried Sasson-

TODAY'S TREASURE

Enjoying a packet of chocolate covered coffee beans from the local chocolaterie "Ganache" .........a YUM that leaves you with a BUZZ!

TODAY'S TREASURE

Preparing dinner for an old friend

TODAY'S TREASURE

Walking to the market today in "sunshine" & seeing the first buds of spring breaking out everywhere - like these magnificent Magnolia's.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Put simply......waking up at home.

I spent 13 hours yesterday getting from Townville to Melbourne & no I didn't catch a bus! There was the initial delay in Townsville of 3.5 hours, & if my husband hadn't kept his phone on silent I could have spent them somewhere other than a boring departure lounge, like asleep in bed maybe. Then there was a 3 hour delay for the connecting flight in Brisbane, I got excited over this at first as I thought I could catch up with my parents but they had gone out for lunch & refuse to get a mobile phone so were not contactable. For all this inconvenience I, along with other fellow travellers, were given a $6 voucher to spend at any of the food outlets at the airport - how generous! Well I finished one book & started another & bought a new bag & purse from Guess which cost me $175 (a purchase I wouldn't have made if I hadn't been so blasted bored - I do like them though, I'm a sucker for handbags). Then I was harangued by some woman from Citibank. Waiting....it can be so tiresome - I have slept on & off most of today, it was definitley a day I'd rather forget.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Getting a voice message on my mobile from my brother Steven - wishing me a happy birthday (a week late, but better late than never) & telling me "I love ya sis" - brought tears to my eyes, you'd understand why if you knew him, he can barely string two words together & his vocabulary consisits of "fair dinkum" & "you're kidding". This photo says it all really.

TODAY'S TREASURE

There is a client I have that I see three times a week, I was told he was a bit of an ogre but really he's just a big teddy bear & we've become friends. In a former life he was a pastry chef & when I visited today he had a surprise for me, he had gone to the trouble of making me a rasberry cheescake which was simply superb.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Walking past a daschund having brunch with whom I assume was its owner at a local cafe. The pampered pooch was all dressed up & sitting on its own chair enjoying some sort of beverage (which I doubt was water) from a mug.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Making it to the end of week 2 at work. My goodness I've become deconditioned! I have to get back into shape. This week has been pretty hectic & included two full days of hand held computer device training - practically everything is computer based & I have to lug a tablet PC around everywhere with me. So far I have a great bunch of clients, including a few young ones which is always a bit heartbreaking. Driving on the roads around here is pretty scary, what with the trams & everyone being so bloody impatient. I have a big sign plastered across the back of the car saying 'caution vehicle stopping frequently' but drivers still get shirty with me.

I haven't felt the greatest over the last couple of days, been a bit grumpy but I believe things will get better once I get in the swing of things, I'll just have to brave the storm for a while. I hope I'm coping a bit better by the time uni starts back or I'll be in big trouble - I will finish my Masters..... one day.

'It's hard to be brave,' said Piglet, sniffling slightly,

'when you're only a Very Small Animal.'

-A. A. Milne-

TODAY'S TREASURE

Getting a surprise phone call from my husbands daughter Valysha & seeing the joy on his face as he came up to speed with the busy life of a young adolescent. Here she is - the spitting image of her father.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Seeing an exquisite exotic cat asleep on a clients couch. It had apparently set it's owners (the neighbours) back thousands but escapes every chance it gets, spending most of it's time asleep on the old antique chair. Typical cat....can't buy their affection.

I didn't take a photo of it - but it looked a lot like the one in this picture.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Coming home from my first day at work to find a gift in the post addressed to me - a stunning pair of earrings created by my beautiful friend Janmaree.

TODAY'S TREASURE

Having my first glass (or two) of alcohol in almost a year & getting just tipsy enough to chatter away cheerfully yet remain just sober enough to know that I'm speaking complete & utter shit!

TODAY'S TREASURE

Opening up a Christmas parcel from my mum & dad & finding it filled with sweets & treats - YUM!

TODAY'S TREASURE

Talking to my dad on the phone, he had just been told his best friend has Alzheimer's, dad was so vulnerable, so fragile, I could tell the news had hit him hard. My dad's a strong man, a tough man - it takes a lot to make him cry but he felt safe enough with me to allow himself to..... just a little.