I arrived in Sydney with one red suitcase (full of clothes) and, in my backpack, my camera and laptop. I've been working here just over six months now.... I now own (in Australia) the following:

• a work wardrobe for both summer and winter,
• an iron....


• several pair of shoes


• and a beaut leather (yellow) couch! How well will this pack?


• I've also added several pillows (well its difficult to get one that suits and besides, they look good piled up on my bed!),


• an assortment of cutlery, crockery, vases, candles


• and I've added a slow cooker to my possessions. etc etc

Ouch! How did that happen?

The truth is that the longer I spend here, the more I surround myself with a few nice things so that I am comfortable.



My employer's have asked me back after my next trip, so it seems as though I will be in Sydney awhile. That's my excuse for buying a few things.

But, in May I leave and during this trip I will be sailing in New Caledonia, then traveling around Cuba, Mexico and NZ.

Besides....I'm still thoroughly enjoying the travel (and planning it), life and my work so why not?



A few weekends back I had a lovely trip to Canberra with a friend. The trip via the small towns of was most interesting and the company excellent.



In a few weeks time I have another of my friends from NZ to visit while on business and I'll enjoy a catch up. Then over Easter another friend will visit for a few days. Together we'll explore more of this wonderful city and perhaps take a rental car (I haven't succumbed to a car purchase yet) up the coast for more sights.

I just love it......

The Important Things in Life

The Important Things in Life
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before her philosophy class
And had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
She picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

She then asked the students, if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
them into the jar. She shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

She then asked the students again
If the jar was full... They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
She asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
And poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
Filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things – Children, family,
health, friends, lovers and favorite passions –
Things that if everything else was lost
And only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter – whatever that may be to you -
your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first, she continued,
There’s no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
IMPORTANT TO YOU.

SO.........

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner....smell the flowers

There will always be time
To clean the house and clean the gutters.

Take care of the golf balls first -
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

Then one of the students raised her hand
And inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

Apologies…I do not know the source of this tale but I say
Hear hear.

My calendar – the wonderful one with coffee sayings has a speech bubble
With “CAFFEINE QUEEN”….that’s ME!