What I did on my summer holiday

Spent time with my family - a particularly good thing to do over Christmas. If only my brother and sister-in-law were here too.

Spent time with friends - both new friends I made in 2005, and friends from school and uni days, including visiting expatriates Doug, Jasmine and other Peter.

Spent a considerable amount of time gazing at the changing light over the lake (including some lovely sunsets), the wind in the trees, the pattern of birds across the sky, the shifting clouds, and the growth of healthy plants (not mine, unfortunately).

Learned how to mount photos (thanks Pete!), and decorated my apartment with pictures of my family and my recent travels.

Flew a kite.

Had many enjoyable meals including barbeques, picnics, lazy brunches, family dinners, and fish and chips.

Accompanied those meals with (as appropriate) champagne, cocktails (in which limes and or watermelon were major players), home made cappuccinos (thanks Pete!), ice creams, and lots of cold water.

Technically it wasn’t even a real holiday, just the office shutdown between Christmas and New Year. But somehow that little break felt like a proper getaway, even though I never left Canberra. It was one of those lovely retreats from everyday life that reminds you how unimportant work actually is in the grand scheme of things. I’m very grateful to have had this time, and I’m trying to hold onto that feeling into the new year.

Happy 2006 everyone. :-)