Countryside

My dear friends,

So much has happened during these last few months, and I have been tardy in sharing my news. I am claiming an exemption for my final Honours units, which has included my thesis.

But now it is time to tell you some of the beautiful things that I have been doing.

You may recall that felicitous young man which I mentioned in a previous post. After a busy few weeks for us both, we decided to take a small sojourn.

We had a wonderful time countryside in a gorgeous home all to ourselves in the midst of an 800 acre farm. The house was divine, with the loveliest features tucked inside boxes drawers and cupboards just waiting to be discovered. My beau had been there before to record an album and knew it would be perfect.

Some of the nicest things are those which fall into the day-to-day. We had views like these which kept us company:

And then that certain young gentleman cooked an amazing dinner, making the pasta himself. Darlin'!

It was the cutest little home. Even the refrigerator was delightful:

We listened to the final mix on the drive out, and was accompanied by a haloed moon. How bizarre and magical it was. It was such a lovely stay!

Dashboard

I love the word "dashboard". Besides our blogging engine room here, it is that fine stretch beneath the windscreen which forms the bottom of the frame of all things lovely and long distance.

Recently I took another eleven-plus hour road trip with the pup and a dear friend. Here are some of the lovely sights we found along the way:

If one little church isn't enough,

why it just makes sense to build another church about the same size right beside it.

Car graveyard. Such lovely old beauties.

Matching signage. How gorgeous!

Everything here was just as we had imagined.

And of course something sweet for the trip home.

Write and tell me what you have been doing!

xx

Weekend Away

Sometimes, when a girl is all alone, she has to take her initiative for a drive.

A few weekends ago, that is just what I did.

After a little research into a providore and wine region just a few hours away I chose one of my favourite dresses, a flower for my hair, and planned my day away.

As I mentioned in a previous entry, a girl dresses twice: once secretly, and once overtly. As you know, by clicking on "Lingerie" on the list on the right hand side of my blog, I take my secret dressing very seriously. As my deportment teacher told me when I was just a girl "a woman must have good foundation garments that are both comfortable and beautiful". This is a tenet I still hold true.

I always like to match my pretty underthings to my outerwear. But since you couldn't spend the day with me, I thought I could share the simple, beautiful things with you here.

This is one of my most favourite vintage dresses. I have lifted it a little so you can see my layered pink petticoat which holds it out to its best advantage:

These are my delicate foundation garments. They always remind me of a Nick Cave song, Nobody's Baby Now:
"This is her dress that I loved best
With the blue quilted violets across the breast"

The stockings I chose were seamed and cuban heeled. In this skin tone you can just see the detail, with its gorgeous Art Deco-like stepped design. I do love the subtle beauty of them.

And a girl does like to be corseted in.

My touring revealed a little out-of the-way place which hosted the most sumptuous lunch for me, even though I strolled in at a languid 2:00pm. With their signature Pinot Noir, a delicious dessert, and coffee over a Pinter play, it was difficult to leave this lovely tranquil place with the most divine view.

Next time won't you please come with me?
xx

How Far I've Come

So much time has passed since my last post, and although it was filled with unprecedented activity, I must admit I have missed you.

As you know, I took a little sojourn abroad. Since then I was hurled into a whirlwind of obligations: at home and at university. In those first weeks of November I handed in my final assignments - some a little earlier than expected. A dear friend called me in those heady days to share some dreadful news: the company he owned had been sabotaged by a fellow director while he had spent the past 18 months, some 4000 km away, setting up a new office. The effects were devastating. Even though it was not due until the following week, I wrote into the early hours and through the next day so I could submit my final assignment, and be available if he needed me.

When he called the next day things had become worse. I sped down to the university to hand in my essay, which they thankfully accepted even though the faculty had closed. I arrived home to find the girl dearest to me with my favourite flowers to celebrate the end of my degree. I explained what had happened, and she agreed that I should help him pack his apartment and the new business address so he could return to head office immediately. How very cruel it seemed to ask her to cancel her celebratory plans and take those beautiful flowers back with her.

I had 30 minutes to organise my flight, taxi and suitcase, and negotiate a lift to take that sweet girl home. The plane was the last one to leave town, and I was exhausted when I arrived at my destination some six hours later.

The next few days were spent packing his home and office. I do not envy the personal grief he had to endure during those dark days. On the third day he flew back to head office while I spent that, and the next, packing and cleaning his apartment. After the removalists left I took his magnificent vehicle to the international terminal to be shipped home. Because of the airport curfew I waited seven hours before catching the last plane to his home town.

The flight travelled through the night to arrive four and a half hours later at 6:00am. With a chatty passenger beside me, I disembarked without sleeping. I was met and whisked to a shower, and then went into the office for a ten hour day. Although it is not my line of business, I did what I could there for the next two weeks before flying home. I had so much to do. My little house was evidence of serious neglect while I had studied. But I also eagerly awaited my final grades and looked forward to my graduation.

How very excited I was to be awarded four high distinctions for the semester, and a high distinction average for my course. My graduation day was such a special day for me, and I was so pleased to be offered Honours. I spent it with my beloved "flower" girl, and my dear friend who flew in especially.

The next day I packed up the car and my puppy and we took a 12 hour road trip - the first day of a four week holiday. I spent time at beaches, by the pool, with good books, but most importantly with family and friends.

Now I am back and am unpacking, I have something to show you. It is something delicious, and something you know I love especially.

Can you wait until the next post?

I promise to post pictures ...

I hope you have been good, and have accrued a few pretty packages of your own.

Shall we share?

xx

Basque in Barcelona

Sometimes a girl has to be a little spontaneous. And a little wicked. Sometimes she has to stretch herself a little further than she should. She should grasp a gorgeous opportunity when it is with such divine company.

She should not resist.

And so I have acquiesced.

                                                        Naughty, naughty me.


I do not mind how imprudent it is. I think that makes it nicer, and my inviter is so enticing.

A girl can sometimes do things she should not.

Or perhaps she should, after all.

I can't wait.

In just a few weeks I shall be here:

Can a girl have too much that she loves all at once? She might need you to hold her down.

I love it when you do that.

xx

Serendipity

Recently, I travelled some distance to break the monotony for a dear friend who had been stationed in isolation.

Our first morning began with a beautiful breakfast and stash of travel goodies before ensconcing ourselves in the black beast which found its way to a quaint country town a few hours east.

On the outskirts of the town is a disused mill which houses a weekend market. We purchased locally made cinnamon rolls and date scones, and perused the wooden and woollen handicrafts before cruising into town.

We found a lolly shop filled with all those favourites synonymous with sunny memories as children. Dusty second hand stores were stuffed with unwanted oddments; a discarded collection of other people's lives.

Along the main street is an old restored courthouse staffed by a local lady, who told us how she made butter as a girl and rode, three to a horse, to school.

And then there was the Motor Museum housing some of the regular regional favourites, and a few absolutely astounding unique vehicles. One was a Chevrolet Eldorado Biarritz of which there were only several hundred made. There are reputedly only 20 left. She is a hard top convertible who puts her roof up when it rains even if you are not there. You really must see the photos:

We then had a local lunch where I accidentally spilt my malted milkshake across the lap of my trusted driver just before we departed. I found this disaster in vanilla incredibly amusing because of the poker face, (and thankfully the grace) of my travel companion. After many tea-towels and some surreptitious sponging we rejoined the beast for a roundabout return along the country roads. (Which was punctuated with my bursts of giggling in recollection of the incident, much to my driver's chagrin ...)

The way home was as beautiful as the roads we had taken to come. Fields of canola crops coloured our journey home (as did sour worm lollies and ginger biscuits).

In retrospect I found our day filled with all the things I loved.

My spontaneous visit to cheer a dear friend four thousand kilometres away was also a wonderful weekend for me.

xx