The girls have been wanting to go to the snow forrrrreverrrrrr. A potential trip was thwarted by COVID and I kept them waiting for four years to test their certainty and patience. These two are in gloves, beanies, scarves, tracksuits and woollen socks (on feet and hands even!) when the overnight temperature drops below 20.c in Darwin. Luckily the magic of it exceeded the sensitivity of their skin.
girls + go karts
One year ago Karl tells me he wants to get the girls into go karting. As their “sport.” “Aw yeah.” I say “not exactly the definition of sport that I had in mind.”
a midnight in melbourne
The night was meant to start at a gin bar called Little Lon Distilling Co, selected for its testament to Lon, the person I have most consistently called a legend for 20+ years. But it was shut.
St Nick: My favourite alter ego
Leica M10 +
A 72 hour crescendo to Christmas 2018. Until this point, there was no lights on the tree, no presents, and no conceivable path to redeeming the Christmas I had envisaged. I waited another 24 hours to do anything physical about this.
Responsible adults go camping
Somewhere at the end of August I got a text from Darren Burgess with a few too many “xxx’s” at the end of it for me to take him seriously. It was Colleen.
Roma: the photos + the rest
Roma. We only decided to go the day before. A massive cold front came through the north, temperatures plummeted and mist started falling from the sky. I had a completely unfounded notion that Rome would be a shell of its ancient glory, sucked of its soul by tourism. And that I would have my camera pickpocketed, which I had failed to insure before leaving Australia.
A real walk in Tuscany.
I have worked with Filippo for 8 years. His wife Fabi is a legend too. She and I were pregnant at the same time and our daughters swapped due dates.
Rome: some of my favourite things
Our drive into Rome was breathtaking; and for the first time this holiday, not due to a near death experience.
The house red
The other day Elspeth looks me in the eye and says “I can’t wait to be an adult.” Gauging from the smirk on her face, I don’t believe her for a second - but I play along. “Really. Why?” I ask. “Because I want to drink wine! And coffee!!” She cracks herself up laughing. I reassure her that being a child is infinitely better and we need to do those things to bring back the imagination and energy levels of our inner child.
Cinque Terre
I have been on the fence about taking the kids to Cinque Terre, renowned for its hiking trails linking intensely coloured villages cascading down craggy cliffs. I didn’t know if I had the stamina to experience this magic against a soundtrack of whinging and arguments. But after our time in Firenze, I realised it couldn’t possibly be worse.
Florence: the not name of my imaginary third child
Ah Florence.
I arrived with magical illusions for this city; the long lost name for my daughter, pipped at the post with Matisse for my first, and then Elspeth second time around. My third daughter will definitely be called Florence, I vowed… until I had a 2 and 3 year old and renewed that vow in the form of a totally different one to never have more children.
A train to Firenze
A train from Venezia to Firenze; Venice to Florence.
The whole of the world calls half of Italy by names that the Italians don’t; and then wonder why the Italians wave their arms around all the time.
the venetian lagoon
An intense amount of evaluation led me to forfeit our business class train fares to Florence and take a day trip to Burano island with Imogen instead. And then catch the train at dusk by myself with a mountain of luggage and two really exhausted kids, one on my lap because there weren’t enough seats on the train let alone any in business class.
Venezia - Part one
Venice.
Conflicting reviews on this place but since my Italian boss ordered me to go, I had no choice. I am indebted for this arm-twist. The charm of this place stole my heart; ancient buildings, artisans, inner goth, gourmet food and canals for roads - yes, you may not know that unique fact about this place.
Dolomites
A couple of months ago, Karl was doing some research on Italy; a concept that escaped me entirely. He raised the subject of bringing car seats for the kids, noting that the Italian standard was just a booster seat and that whilst that might be acceptable for Matisse, it was 300% illegal by Australian standards. At the time, I was feeling irresponsible and claimed if it was OK for the Italians, it was OK for me.
Day three
The girls have a perfectly normal, completely unhealthy obsession with poo, wee, and bums. The prominence of these topics in the conversation highlighted by the hysterical, over exaggerated laughter to spur each other on. Admittedly it’s hard to frown and act disapproving…
matisse turns five.
The day Matisse turned five did not start like every other. I woke in a bed with a glass wall to a rooftop terrace overlooking Lake Garda. I went outside to take in the view, just in time to catch the arrival of a “very emotional” Italian lady, shrieking hysterically, and bashing down the door of the apartment over the garden. The situation escalated for the next 30 minutes. She made Angelina Jolie look normal. Surprisingly, no one came to the door. Yet everyone in our apartment, and those surrounding, came to see what the commotion was about. I say no more.
How to get to Lake Garda from Darwin.
How to get to Lake Garda from Darwin….? Seriously? Since the captivating title of my blog drew you in I will reward you with these helpful details. Go to the airport, catch two planes (or more if you are unlucky), then drive a car to the mountains. Or use other transport options. The end.
The actual week at Mataranka
Several months ago we went to Mataranka for a week of camping. I got so busy sharing posts about some 20 year old whipcracker who put me on the cold pavement beneath him and did Guinness World record whip cracking over me, that I never actually posted anything of substance. I also categorically painted myself as a desperate housewife of Karama.
Leica M10 + Voigtlander VM 35mm 1.2 ii
I bought a Leica M10 - to use my favourite lens.