31 Griffin Street

My Pa is selling his house soon. Selfishly, I am very very sad at the thought of him not living there anymore. This is the house in Geelong I have been going to my whole life. It's where my mum, aunt and uncle grew up. It's the house my Nanna passed away in. And when it sells it will probably be demolished to make way for flats.. the same thing that is happening in almost every city around the world.

Of course it makes sense that he moves somewhere more manageable for him and his wife Leila. But I struggle to think of him living anywhere else. He has been there 62 years. The bird cage out the back, the back room where his train set is, the swing in the back yard that I remember from my childhood, and even from my mum's childhood (seen in photos) - it's all a part of my memories visiting as a child and as an adult. 

I luckily got the chance to take a few photos when I was in Australia a month ago when I visited for a couple of days. These will help me never forget the front room full of family photos, the spoons that my Nanna used to collect and the cabinets in the kitchen full of fancy china never used. 

A weekend with the bluebells

Day one of the bluebell weekend..

And day two! Not as many photos but just as beautiful. 

A couple of months ago there was a long weekend here in the UK and it coincided with the end of the bluebell season! It just so happened that I had organised to go on a couple of walks with some friends - on the Sunday Debs, Vivi and I were booked in to have afternoon tea at a very fancy hotel so we went for a walk just before.

We happened across a couple of fields of bluebells - oh they are so pretty! And very magical.. I could stare at them for hours. The photos do not do them justice.

We also came across a very cute doggie friend mid way through our walk. We could have walked for hours but we had our afternoon tea to get to - which included bottomless tea (yes!) and scones. 

On the Monday I had organised with the girls to do something and after the success of the bluebells on Sunday we headed to Alfriston to check out the bluebell walk there. Oh wow.. I thought Sunday was good and then this! An entire woodland covered in bluebells. It was so special that I think I have convinced my parents to visit in May next year so they can see them. I already can't wait!

Exploring the New Forest

When my friends and I went away for NYE, there were three of us that really wanted to go on longer walks. So we decided to try and do a few during the year and have it as an excuse to get together and explore areas that we haven't been before in the UK.

We had our first weekend away a few weeks ago in a little fishing village near Southampton called Lymington. We chose Lymington so that we could go walking / cycling in The New Forest. I have always wanted to go there because I had hear there are ponies wandering around! 

The New Forest is a national park consisting of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest. There are lots of cute little villages - and of course the ponies that can wander around different sections of the Forest.

We decided to walk from Lymington to Brockenhurst, which should have been an easy stroll. It ended up being a very muddy walk - almost like a Tough Mudder course! We had a good laugh but I think we were all very happy when we finally made it to Brockenhurst.

We then hired bikes so we could see more of the Forest - it was such a good decision. We cycled for about three hours - stopping (or being stopped by) near the ponies. Apparently they are owned by locals who breed them and sell them. At the beginning of our ride we thought they were wild so I was so excited when one came up to me and let me pat it! We found out later they are semi-tame - although that didn't stop me from still being excited :-) 

It was a lovely relaxed weekend away, especially as there was a bath in the flat we were in - we were all able to have a soak with a glass of prosecco while watching TV (yes, there was a TV in the bathroom - proper fancy!). It was the perfect girls weekend away - I can't wait till our next one!