Like most advent calendars, you are often forced to eat more than one chocolate a day. For me, my catch-up Christmas calendars are due to a technical delay. But back on track, I am putting my dreams into actions. I am currently using this special quote from Walt Disney to plan my life changes for 2021. What do you want to change next year?
I believe that it isn’t always the person with the most skills who succeeds at a task, in life or in their chosen career. It is often the person who keeps going despite the obstacles. They never give up. Instead of saying something can’t be done, they just look for another way when their previous plan fails. Some of the world’s best companies or careers are built with this level of determination. Think Disney, Apple and Thomas Edison.
I love this quote I first heard in the movie ” The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” I thought it was a quote from the movie. However, it’s not. It belongs to John Lennon. I remind myself of these wise words when going through difficult or frustrating times. It reminds me to be patient.
Back in 2016 I began what I hoped would be a tradition on Inspiring Max – my Christmas Calendar. A month of positive quotes. One for each day in the lead up to Christmas. My version of our family’s other Christmas tradition, chocolate advent calendars.
As we end this very difficult year let’s think about how we want 2021 to be. My plan is for it to involve more regular blogging and writing. What do you want to create in your future?
If we were having coffee we would be meeting in an airconditioned place this week not my home. The reason, in Australia this weekend we are having an extreme heatwave. I live on the east coast which is usually cooler than inland and it’s been 41C (106F) both days this weekend.
If we were having coffee I would show you this social distancing poster. I love it. It’s unique and I thought it was fitting for a country café.
I also loved this creative Covid Marshall at the same café.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my upcoming Christmas calendars. This tradition I began in 2016 as Inspiring Max’s version of an advent calendar in the countdown to Christmas day. I love selecting the quotes and putting the posts together.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how proud I am of my daughter as she is now a registered nurse, just like me. She was also successful in obtaining the new grad placement of her choice in regional NSW.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my son’s favourite birthday present, a black mini lop rabbit. He and his wife had been looking for a rabbit for several months. Every time they went to buy one, it was sold. Then just when they were thinking it wasn’t meant to be, they found him. To their surprise he was born on my daughter-in-law’s birthday. He is so cute.
Interestingly, the first pet my husband and I had when we married 30 years ago was a rabbit, only ours was white.
If we were having coffee I would ask you if to have to wear matching or odd socks. It was a conversation started last night at a family gathering. My brother deliberately mismatches his socks. My son and most others preferred matched ones. My sister then decided she would poll her friends and I thought I would ask you when we had coffee. Let me know your preferences in the comments.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what has been happening in your world?
“The Queensland border is open to Sydney and all of Victoria” and with these words the frenzy began. The phones and internet were on fire. Australians were booking their first holidays since COVID. Everyone is excited not only to travel but to see loved ones who they have been cut off from for months. Now the biggest problem is getting the planes in the sky to meet demand. Before COVID the Sydney to Melbourne flight path was the second busiest in the world.
Our other excitement is from today there are no coronavirus patients on ventilators. We are also on track to eradicate the virus. The only state to have local transmissions in the last 3 weeks is South Australia. These came from breaches in hotel quarantine but were shut down by a frenzied effort by contact tracers.
Written for the Word of the Day Challenge: Frenzy
I loved the name of this lookout when we first drove past. How quirky I thought.
Who’d A-Thought It Lookout overlooks Quirindi. It is at the top of Ray Carter Drive, and offers 360 degree panoramic views of Quinindi, the Liverpool Plains and the Great Diving Range. The day we visited was clear and you could see for kilometres in each direction.
The surrounding area has some of Australia’s most fertile soil. Crops of the area include; sunflowers, canola, wheat, barley, sorghum, cotton, oats, flaba beans and corn. I love the vivid yellow of the canola just before harvest. You can see it in the top photo.
In early October Newcastle held it’s inaugural Big Picture Festival. 14 international and local artists created big, bold murals transforming the city’s buildings.
Last weekend the lure of the murals got too much. I finally went to investigate. What great job they did. Each mural tells a story and shows the artists style. Personally, I think my two favourites were by Jordan Lucky (below) as I loved the colour involved in them.
I’m in two minds as to whether I would have preferred to have seen the artists creating them. In some ways I like the wow factor of the completed mural. Although seeing the techniques used to create the lady behind glass above would have been fascinating.
I love exploring the hidden details of street murals and I am sure next time I walk past them I will find other hidden surprises I missed the first time.
Inspired by todays Word of the Day Challenge: Lure
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my coffee last Sunday. I was so surprised to see it presented in such a beautiful way. I couldn’t keep my hands off the smooth exquisite timber. The only thing missing to make it perfect was a small handmade cookie or piece of shortbread.
If we were having coffee I would ask if you picked the winner of the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I had a knack of picking the winner every year. As I’ve gotten older, I quickly look at the form guide, decide it’s too hard and hope my sweeps win. Rarely. This year there weren’t even any sweeps at my work place. But on the bright side my daughter won and bought us pizza.
If we were having coffee I would tell you I saw my first Santa last weekend and you’ll never guess where. Some enterprising person has started a business called Sandy Claus. You guessed it, Santa photos at the beach. He had a crowd around him 8 weeks out from Christmas.
Go Sandy Claus. Only in Australia.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how exciting it was to hear that Australia has had 2 days of 0 local coronavirus transmissions this week. This is the first time since the start of the virus and a good sign that life is slowly returning to normal.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about the surprise I found buying fruit and vegetables this week. The world’s smallest tomatoes. They are so cute. And they taste like a flavour bubble bursting in your mouth.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what has been happening in your world?
Walking around the small country town of Yetman, I had the most amazing experience. While walking past her house my husband and I were approached by a friendly local. She invited us to come and meet her 4 day old goats. “Yes please,” we said as Kate opened the gate. The kids (baby goats) were so cute. There was about 8 of them and Kate picked up Cotton and handed him to me. His fur was so soft. I loved nursing him and he must have loved me as he snuggled in.
The next day we had some carrot tops which we dropped off to Kate for the goats to enjoy.
Written for the Word of the Day Challenge: Amazing