Savoring Sydney

Finally a new international adventure! I was in Sydney about a week ago and absolutely loved it. There was something gorgeous to admire everywhere I looked. And it’s a super walkable city, so I saw a lot in just a few days. Here are a few highlights.

Sydney Opera House
St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
InterContinental Sydney, the restored Treasury Building of 1851
Sydney, Aquarium
Sydney Aquarium
Street Art in The Rocks, Sydney

I was oddly apprehensive about exploring a new city on my own, more so than traveling to France, in fact, since this was going to be a completely new place. But it turned out to be rather liberating. It may have helped that everyone I encountered was SUPER friendly. I even got an excellent restaurant recommendation from a fellow traveler at baggage claim.

Restaurant Hubert, Sydney

I never would have found this place on my own, and once I did, I nearly walked away after failing to get the door open.  Doors in Australia tend to open IN, not OUT like in the states, so no amount of pulling will get you in the door. Fortunately someone came out just as I was about to give up.  Once in the door, it was still an adventure. First a winding staircase.

Restaurant Hubert, Sydney

Then this landing, still no one in sight.

Restaurant Hubert, Sydney

Then finally, the maître d’ at the bottom of all the stairs. The place had barely opened for dinner service when I got there, and there were already at least fifty people inside. I managed to get a seat at the bar in the dining room after promising to vacate by 7, when all spots were reserved. Of course I obeyed, but I had plenty of time for a leisurely dinner.

I don’t go to restaurants much these days, certainly not alone, and I thought it would be a big deal and I’d feel awkward. But the waitstaff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the whole experience felt like a door opening  (without my confused tugging). It felt like an invitation to keep trying new things, to refuse to let my horizons shrink. So far, so good.

Here’s wishing you open doors and beautiful bridges to whatever adventures await.

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Grace and peace to you wherever you are!

 

Happy Easter!

What a glorious day it was today, even if a bit bright without sunglasses!

Chelsea, Brooks, Brian and Beckett – 30 March 2024

I joined Chelsea, Brian, and the boys for some Easter festivities at a church in Johnstown. It was VERY popular, but everyone was cheerful and patient in all the long lines for the various activities, including a petting zoo.

Beckett in the petting ring
Brooks taking it seriously!

The bunny was a big favorite.

Brooks and the bunny

The Easter egg hunt was genius. Everyone picked up empty plastic eggs, then dumped them in a bin and went and picked up a bag of candy that was the same for everyone. No hand-to-hand combat required to get the good stuff.

I love when I get to spend time with my people. I hope you have a chance to celebrate with those you love. Whether a holiday or not, time together is such a gift and I’m grateful for it.

Today I’m also remembering other Easter seasons in other places, like Santa Fe in 2013, in the Loretto Chapel with the miraculous staircase and this gorgeous statue.

Santa Fe – 2013

Also Holy Week in La Rochelle in 2014.

Calla Lilies in La Rochelle – 2014

Both spent with David, who is still very much missed. So today I am especially grateful for Jesus, who conquered death and paid the price for all of us. A very happy Easter to you and yours!

He is risen!

Leap

No, I’m not planning to leap from any of these high places.

Dordogne as seen from Château de Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, France – 2011
Trocadéro as seen from partway up  the Eiffel Tower – 2011
Tour de la Lanterne, La Rochelle – 2019

First of all, they’re in France, and I’m not. Second, I’m not a big leap-from-scary-heights kind of person, with or without a bungee or parachute. But it’s a leap year, hence this month’s theme. Mostly I’ve been leaping into the endlessly [choose your own adjective] world of home repairs. It did feel like a leap into the unknown at first, but I’ve had some excellent help and/or advice from various friends. Thank you!

As a result, the mysterious goo dripping from my ceiling — since THANKSGIVING! — has finally been correctly diagnosed and repaired–WOO-HOO! That was maddening, but it’s done (-ish) now. Eventually I’ll find someone to repair the hole in my ceiling after I’m sure all is well and dry.

I won’t bore you with the rest of the task list, but plenty has been happening here, so I’m finding my fun where I can. Since my house needed to be repainted, I’m changing the color. Yay! I also decided to replace the front lights to something reminiscent of France, basically a simplified version of these.

Saint-Émilion, France – 2013
La Rochelle – 2014

Here’s before and after:

The exterior is only about half done, but I love the new look so much, I keep going outside to admire it. No literal leaping for joy so far, but inside? I’m definitely leaping.

I heard a wonderful Frederick Buechner quote this morning :  Joy is a mystery because it can happen anywhere, anytime, even under the most unpromising circumstances, even in the midst of suffering, with tears in its eyes. 

Many of you know the truth of this from personal experience. So today I am holding you in my heart. I am grateful to all of you who read these ramblings and/or enrich my life in uncountable ways. Whatever your days bring, I pray they also include moments of surprising, shining joy (leaping optional).

Slow Learner

For someone who always did well in school, I can be an incredibly slow learner. I’ve finally figured out that it’s way less stressful to begin to tackle home maintenance issues bit by bit, rather than to remain paralyzed by fear of how extensive or expensive something might turn out to be. I get frustrated with myself, but learning slowly isn’t always a bad thing. The various impressionists who used this place certainly kept at it for a while.

Giverny, France

And I’ve been learning French little by little for the past fifteen years, decades longer than that, if you count my first class in fifth grade and my subsequent start-stop efforts. What matters is that I can now actually carry on a conversation, even if there’s still plenty to learn.

I’m also making slow but steady progress in Spanish. I actually had a tiny exchange of words (calling it a conversation would be a massive exaggeration) with a native Spanish-speaker working on one of the aforementioned maintenance issues at my house.

Yes, I know I can’t seem to figure out that if I want more of this . . .

Turns out the fresh air is OUTSIDE.

I should actually leave my house.

If I want to see more sunrises like these . . .

I should get up earlier. If I want to improve on the piano, I should play it on a regular basis. If I want more of my poems to be published, I should submit more of them for consideration.

I get it, all these and more. Maybe you do, too, now that we’re at the end of January and ambitious New Year’s resolutions may be feeling unsustainable. How about we grant ourselves a little grace?

Maybe it’s fine to play the piano as well as I can whenever I can and leave it at that, to be proud of the poems that have been published and to send out more only when a specific contest or opportunity feels like a good fit. Less angst, more savoring.

Why not simply accept that sunsets can also be beautiful?

Sunset on Panama City Beach – March 2015
Sunset on St. Pete Beach – March 2015
Sunset over Pamlico Sound – November 2014

Even here, right out my back door.

Fort Collins, Colorado – June 2023

And if seeing more sunsets than sunrises fits my life, what’s wrong with that? Not one thing.

So as I write this, I’m praying you keep at it, whatever “it” is for you, but also that you give yourself grace when you’re not perfect or immediately brilliant or making progress at the speed of light. I’m praying for you grace and encouragement and peace every faltering step of the way.

Adventures in Wanderlust