Simply going to Melbourne

When I announced to people I knew that I was taking long service leave, most people assumed that I was going to go overseas. I guess that is what many people do.

I put off taking my long service leave for over 12 months because I felt quite intimidated by the idea that I had to do something very important or special with it.

It was a book called "Grace in the Desert" by Dennis Patrick Slatterly which changed my mind. Dennis went on a pilgrimage from one retreat house to another for three months throughout the US. What he found, and writes about very beautifully, is that in fact he was undertaking a 'journey within" -giving himself time and space and quiet to discover the internal stuff of his life.

I was inspired to believe that my long service leave could be fruitful by allowing myself the same sort of time and space What I have planned is a couple of retreats, a holiday with my DH who cannot leave his work for more than two weeks, and a lot of craft workshops.

I am deliberately trying to slow down and to notice what I am thinking about and feeling. I am journalling more. I am not listening to the radio or following the news.

I am trying to exercise those parts of my life which don't get much of a workout when I am a full time worker and mother and everything else that I do.

In the next two weeks my husband and I will be visiting my brother and his wife in Melbourne. We will be catching up with friends and enjoying our 33rd wedding anniversary. We are taking Kerry Greenwood's first couple of Phryne Fisher books with us so we can enjoy visiting the 'scenes of the crimes'.

This is sheer indulgence and fun. Not going overseas, simply visiting my favourite other city (other than Perth of course) and being with the one I love.

See you when I get back! Hope to have lots of lovely pictures.