Finished.

Brighton, UK

Dear UK,

Four months after leaving your pebbly shores, I look back on you and remember sunny days, good people and amazing art. I miss the atmosphere of winter, where every inside space is warmly lit and cosy. Where Christmas with images of snowflakes really fits. I miss the Tate and all that great art and the member's room at the top with the view of St Paul's. I miss St Mary's, the comraderie of the other teachers there and my class of 30 hilarious five-year-olds.

UK, I know without question that you were tough. But somehow memory takes the edges off, and when the edges are worn enough that I only remember the good, it's time to move on.

Lauchlin took me out this morning for coffee and french toast. We imagined up some new dreams that are totally different.

It's time to move on. And it's time to finish writing here. Here's to new dreams.

Love,
Lex

where to go when it's 36 degrees and rising

Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. Taken with phone camera.

Permablitz

Last weekend Lauch and I joined in a Permablitz - basically we volunteered with a bunch of other people to help turn someone's garden into a permaculture garden. Thats me at 2:07 in the slideshow planting tomatoes! The people who owned the garden put on an amazing vegetarian lunch for us and their Greek mum showed us how to make dolmades. It was pretty cool putting the seedlings in. The smell of tomato plants is amazing.

Rain Like You Mean It

It's raining hard like the raindrops could pierce our corrugated iron roof. The bleached grey fence is now dark with water. Lightning just snapped as if it was above our house, specifically.

I only remember two thunder storms in the years I was in London. Still getting used to this place where most days pass in a hot fug and it rains like it really means it.

Like a Billabong

Lauch and I went to see what was outside of Melbourne yesterday. Found this place called Wonga Park... all the names here seem a bit odd after nearly three years of "Shoe Lane" and "Paddington" and "Cambridge." We walked for an hour and a bit along the Yarra. People were canoeing and swimming and some were just floating along in black rubber inner tyres. There were parts where the river widened, corners where people's shouts echoed and you could hear the stillness of the trees and the splashing of the river. So, so Australian.

It's Mango Season!

I thought when I left Thailand I'd never have mangoes that good again. But today we found mangoes, 3 for a fiver at the local farmer's market. Now all we need is some sticky rice.

Tuesday's Graffiti

Friday Night

I took this photo at St Kilda on Friday night, as the sun was going down. Those houses look out at the beach toward the horizon.

I love where I live right now.