Splendid Poppins

That time of year again! Resolution time! 

Here goes:

1. Keep a daily diary. Include 3 sentences and an image of sorts daily! 
2. Manage my funds more carefully.
3. Find a great job for 2013.
4. Skype more often. 
5. Stick to the Dukan diet for January and February. 

I know, its very, very boring compared to last year. But life seems to be going swimmingly, so its only time for a little tweak. :)

Am a sentimental girl, but something about a European Christmas brings it into full force. Its not as if I should feel attachment to a British Christmas as Christmas for us was always good food, good weather, family, church and the beach. Far removed from all the British jazz. 

There’s something in the holly berries you spot peeking from a corner as you stride by a churchyard, the smell of mulled wine as you pass a pub, the rosy-cheeked excitement on the faces of people going by. I swear I almost saw a Londoner grooving on his way home from work. Its very not-London, and therefore so intriguing! 

Everywhere you turn for the four weeks before Christmas there are carollers carolling and blokes zigzagging by trying to see from behind the freshly cut trees they are wielding. All this in Oz, seems quirky and out of place but here is truly enthralling! A friend of mine hummed Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas for an entire day the other day and it felt festive and not annoying. 

So here I am thousands of miles from Mum, Dad, and my ever increasing family, who I miss terribly. But not to worry, Am about to head off with two bags full of goodies to my Northern friends’ house for an entire day of eating, singing and drinking all the traditional British Christmas fare! 

At watching the Queen’s speech on telly, I do draw the line! 

Will post photos soon! 

Love and Merry Christmas to you all, wherever you be and whether or net you celebrate it at all! I’d love to see pics of your Christmas celebration! 

xx Hester

Chatting with this random guy at a party at 4am. The conversation meandered and then he asked me my definition of love. 

When freedom, safety, calm and excitement are the same thing.

When they matter more than you.

When what’s said doesn’t matter, because you get what’s meant.

When you’ve known them forever, even if you haven’t.

When conversing is like breathing and silence is bliss.

Several weeks ago now, I headed to Barcelona alone during term break to do some exploration of many of my friends’ favourite city! At the hostel I met a couple of Canadians on a mission to connect with Salvador Dali’s past and they invited me along! Keen to have company and get out of the lovely but manic Barcelona, I joined them up the coast. The towns along the way were stunning and Dali’s house was incredible. These are not my photos, but take a look! 

A friendly welcome:

His swimming pool. These photos really don’t do it justice!

The studio overlooking the bay:

It was amazing to see inside the home of such an unusual guy. I could really imagine him performing tricks at a massive houseparty where famous people from all over the world rubbed shoulders. I wonder if it was all some great big joke or whether he took it all very seriously. ( I somewhat doubt that). And what exactly was the relationship between Salvador Dali and his wife Gala? I left the place being more intrigued than ever. 

Would definitely recommend a visit!

Cadaques - the town in which we stayed.

Just now I glanced over the resolutions I wrote in January and was shocked and delighted to discover that while I’d forgotten about them I’d gone and done most of them! That’s a first for me. 

1. get slightly thinner 

2. spend less draw more

3. make a good bunch of friends in london

4. visit 5 new countries - Ireland, France, Spain, Wales and Scotland. Ok cheating a little with Wales and Scotland, but technically they count! 

5. join amateur drama society - performing in a pantomime come January

6. 1 great british music festival (or a smaller one if tickets unavailable) Latitude

7. parks. walks. jogs. Loads now I live in a leafy suburbl! 

8. learn how to dance half decently. Alas - still painfully bad. 

9. visit scotland and ireland with locals. Cheated here slightly - only the tour guides were local. 

10. get my celta certificate. done and dusted

Wonder if there’s a chance to improve the dancing still before the year’s out? 

This girl has impeccable taste in everything.

Don’t you adore this satin and kiddie fabric creation by Gabrielle Miller? Hmm… Shall I ask my mum…?

There are a few people on the London scene whose outfits grab my attention every time I flick through a local rag. Somewhere up besides Queen Lizzie herself is Kate Nash! Check this little seventies dress! Makes me want to pull out te sewing machine and sew! 

Don’t you love how certain scents can put you in a new mindframe. 

Today I came home from a wonderful trip home (real home - Western Australia) and the house smelled of Adventure and Newness! It must be a new arifreshener or even the liquid handsoap in the kitchen. Nothing major. 

But I smelled it and felt excited and energetic, because it reminded me of that feeling when I first boarded a lane at age 20! It reminded me of camping trips to unexplored places and swags on unknown beaches. New experiences and adventures! 

The smell of innovation and adventure! Now I just need to work out where that scent came from and keep some on hand for when inspiration is next in short supply!