Thursday, July
3rd
I wrote this on
my leftover pizza box on the train home from Sydney with just a pen and a dead
cellphone,
“12:37midnight,
after having missed two different trains I planned to take home while getting
caught up in multiple rounds with someone who was a complete stranger to me only 8
hours ago! Such a spontaneous, delightful, easy, comfy evening with a boy (far
too young for my consideration!) who actually listened to every word I said,
and asked insightful questions, one leading straight into the next, showing
genuine interest & carrying fantastic conversation. Mostly we chatted about
the Australian education system! Which I loved; it was so interesting and
useful and relevant. And while he was a few full years younger than me, he held
this rare, boyish, innocent but curious confidence in him, even before our 4
pints (during aand after our RSA course), when he was striking up conversation
2 minutes after I sat down next to him, the last available seat in the
classroom. It was endearing, it was sincere, my goodness it was refreshing. And
he walked me to my train finally and we hugged goodbye – me and this complete virtual
stranger! He landed a light kiss on my cheek, very European, hardly noticeable,
natural, as if we’d just met to catch up as old friends. And it felt really
nice; reassuring just as far as human contact goes – to meet someone so easy to
get on with. Just completely out of the blue. I sketched my number into the
6-hour doodle that formed in the corner of my classroom notes and I’m certain
I’ll see this young bloke again! What a fantastic twist to a dreadfully boring
course that almost didn’t even happen for me. Ahh, Universe. You sly girl.”
Lol yes, I fit
all of that (half drunk) on a pizza box.
Today turned
out to be one of my favourites :) I spent the early afternoon in Sydney with a
friend wandering Darling Harbour all the way down to the rocks, stopping for
some top notch Italian in the midst. Afterwards I had my RSA course booked –
Responsible Service of Alcohol certification (my smart serve). I had planned to
do it online but NSW was one of the states that revoked that option just this
past February (arg!). Sooo I booked my spot in the class and prepared myself
for 6 long, brutal hours. Wouldn’t bad luck have it that when I arrived, my
saved spot booking was not in their system!? All I could do was sit and wait
until the class began and hope that one person in the fully booked class
decided not to show. I was bummed about having to potentially make the 3-hour
train trip (total) again ASAP to get this required license. And then! As my
pizza box tale would tell, they managed to sneak me in. And the rest of the
evening was just a wonderful demonstration of how this beautiful world works in
such mysterious ways.
Saturday, July 5th 2014
5:21am (Aus
time) - Friday July 4th, 3:21pm Canadian time...
I am siting up,
in the delivery room, watching the bravest young woman I’ve ever know (which I
have always, aways claimed!) bring my beautiful (even if he was blurry!) baby
nephew into this world. “He’s got his grandpa’s distinct good looks! [...] You’ve
done so good! I can’t wait for the next one!” Commentary from their doctor and
my dad keeps my sister in [exhausted] smiles, even as they take Baby Bo
straight to the nursing center to help him breath a little more desirably.
That has to be
top 5 hardest moments any woman might potentially face, even if it’s for the
best: not being able to see or hear or hold the little life you created as soon
as you have put all the time and effort into bringing them here. It was very
hard for everyone in the room. But she was so brave and so strong and my daddy
flipped the camera around so that we were face to face (which is when I
realized we were bawling together), while they took him & daddy Noley to
the next floor. That is a moment I won’t soon forget, getting to be in that moment for my sister, even from
nearly 9,000 miles away. Just to tell her she had done so well, and that he was so
beautiful, and I reminded her how soon and for how many years she will get
to hold him, in no time at all, and then my big beautiful sister and I just
smiled at each other. And cried!
I can’t
describe how HAPPY I feel, how I’ve been just buzzing with joy. It has been the most fantastic night of my life, becoming an aunt and being apart of it with my beautiful family; it means the world to me. The English teacher in me could hardly wait to post about!!
{In the middle
of my Australian night, I had the incredible honour & the heart-wrenching
pleasure of being in the delivery room with my strongest, bravest, most
beautiful big sister while her and my brother-in-law brought my baby nephew
into this great big world. God bless technology & Grandpa Scott Oke for
allowing me to still be right by her side, from 8,000 miles away. I couldn't be
more proud or more excited for my newest little family member - the
anticipation to meet you continues!! (Bo, I promise your collection of
postcards, souvenirs & international doodles will be the coolest of all
your friends!!) I love and miss you all so much! Happy birthday, Baby Bo!}
10:30pm
It was a busy
week! I am happy to report that I am becoming more and more confident at work,
two fully packed house nights helped me pick up heaps of things to anticipate
etc. I am also happy that while they hired me just for 6 hours on Sundays, I
was also called in to work Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week! Which
helps the fact that their not paying me nearly as much as they should [legally]
be. I am enjoying it though! Even the 4 hour shifts feel like forever, and my
feet always ache at the end of each night, but I am enjoying it! The people are
so nice, and when everybody’s not running around like chickens with no heads,
we get along so great. After we locked up this evening at 10 the kitchen staff
served us apple pancakes and the owners passed around a few beers and glasses
of wine – it was really a perfect end to a long, busy shift. And I so enjoy walking home after 10:30,
barefoot, hands full of incredible leftovers, enough to feed me for a week, with
the clearest brightest skies above (honestly, every single night). That 10:30pm
glimpse across the street, standing up above the beach, watching the waves
catch moonlight as the tide creeps up and up and up. Have I mentioned yet how
in love I am with this town? With this Aussie life? I love it. I am so happy. I
am so lucky, I am so grateful, I am so so happy here.
Sunday, July 6th
I forgot to
write about completing my 30-day Bikram challenge! While I lost track just near
the end, doubling up days and missing a few through Byron, I am certain
whatever the final number actually was, it was entirely close enough to 30 to
make me feel so proud, so accomplished. July brings me 25 minutes from my
studio, where I used to be only 4. That & working more often then June
(lol) has made this week really tough for making my usual classes. In fact,
honestly, I have been once. But I’ve not let either be an excuse to cease
activity! I don’t think at this point I even could if I tried. And the beach 6
minutes away is even more incentive to get outside each and every day. Today,
for example, I left the beach (as I do most days) with a thin layer of sand
coating my whole body; a second skin of sorts. I have become so creative with
my beach workouts, but they always involve inversions, full wheels, and at
least 10 of the 26 Bikram postures (all of my favourites!). Then any and
everything bodyweight related. Needless to say, I come away from it easily
looking like I could have just done a few summersault tuck & rolls around
the surf, haha, sandman mouse.
I did make my 4pm Yin class this evening which was fantastic - I was so proud of myself for being able to focus and meditate and relax more than I thought I would be able to with the activity from the weekend, and with a few recent tough spots in my long-distance life. But I had an awesome practice, and it just goes to prove how effective my detachment techniques have become. And so in the end, of course everything is going to be just fine. Better than fine. I will only ever come out better than I was before. And I have only myself to thank for that :) After I'd run to the studio in 7 minutes flat (not even two full iPod songs! I was impressed!), I enjoyed the slower walk home in my running gear, my yoga mat tucked under one arm, both hands full of fresh fruit & veggies from the Harvest Market next to my studio. I relaxed for a couple of hours, sliced & diced & prepped my meals for the week, and then my roommates had a bunch of people over. We sat around and had giant glasses of wine and shared beers and laughs and rounds of applause, lol, it was a wonderful evening.
Ahhhh what a
weekend :):):)
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