As promised - a town full of daisies

Today is bright, sunny and gorgeous, a perfect day to admire the daisies!

I know they are weeds, but the fantastic recent rain we have had here has made them pop up all over the place and they are just beautiful. As you drive along there are whole sections of median strip bright yellow with their happy little faces.

On the weekend I went for a walk during which I passed a family with small children. Each child had a daisy chain crown. I spent years making them with my Mum and to this day, if for some reason I've sat down next to some, I feel compelled to make myself a daisy chain accessory.

They are such a gorgeous sign of spring and the warm weather that is on the way.

Head Massage

So today I was going to take a picture of all the little yellow daisies that have popped up in lawns across Canberra, and write about how their happy little faces always make me smile. But it has gone really dark, started to rain and they have closed up! A blog for another day.

So instead I'm going to write about head massages. Massages in general are wonderful. I was recently used as a distraction by a friend who wanted to indicate he wasn't interested in an persistent, amorous, married cougar. He must have sat there massaging my shoulders for well over an hour. It convinced her, but also started the odd rumour as people tried to work out if we were friends or "friends". When asked about it, I've always replied, if someone starts giving me a massage, I'm not going to stop them!

But head massages have a special place in the pampering world. They are just so relaxing. I had my hair done today and the girl who looked after me gave me a super fantastic head massage. My salon (Franco's of Canberra) also has the massaging chairs at the basins, so the combination of the two nearly sent me off to sleep.

Ahhh, so relaxed, heading back to work is difficult!

Inspiration

I work in the kind of industry where there isn't a lot of organised professional development. It isn't the kind of thing where you can do courses or further education to much effect, so instead, I try to go to networking events and events where they have speakers who you can learn from.

I'm regularly hugely inspired by the people I hear talk. Their experiences, lessons learnt, trials and tribulations all inspire me to try something new when the opportunity arises.

Today I went to a talk by Louise Curtis. She is a Canberra business woman who took her idea of chocolate bouquets, and has turned it into Australia's fastest ever growing franchise business, Lollypotz. She was so inspiring. I don't know that I could ever work the 17 hour days that she does with two small children, but hearing how she could take her idea and make it a reality was great.

It is those stories that keep me working on my dreams and ambitions.

Sun, book, nap = perfect afternoon

I had a really lazy afternoon. My lounge room gets the afternoon sun and it was a super lovely sunny day. So I lazed on the couch alternating between reading and dozing. It was the perfect way to spend a public holiday afternoon.

Fish and Chips

South Coast residents and regular visitors to Bateman's Bay know that the best ever fish and chips can be found at the Boat House. The small blue building on the bay in the centre of town may not have a lot of creature comforts but it does have great views, a regular flock of visiting seagulls, pelicans and a sting ray plus yummy, yummy food.

Made fresh in front of you their fish has golden, crispy batter that can't be beaten. Mmmm the true taste of the coast yum-o.

A day of pure leisure

Every now and then we are treated to a day with no obligations. Today I didn't need to be anywhere in particular, didn't have any chores or any commitments. The closest thing to an appointment was watching the AFL grand final (and what a surprise, who saw that draw coming?)

So I slept in, wandered a market, watched the footy, had a very lovely dinner. It has been exceptionally nice and wonderfully relaxing.

Oceanside

The sound of the ocean - the deep rumble of the depths, swept into a wave that crashes on itself before sighing gently up the beach. Words don't do it justice and many far greater writers than me have expressed it far clearer. It is a sound I find truly healing, as through it reaches deep into my soul, soothing me with it's rhythmic motion.

And the smell of the coast - that sweetly salty air - it is as though it cleanses my mind, the stress just dissolves as soon as I smell it.

As you may have guessed I've escaped for a few days by the sea. Just a few hours here and I'm already relaxed and I must admit very sleepy. I think this is a magical place it will be a great few days.