Holidays, sausage rolls, timber decking and stuff

Away from my desk took on a whole new meaning this month when I found myself in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland for a week and a bit with my boys …

We had a fabulous time, frolicking in the surf, riding bikes on the beach, building teepees out of coconut palm leaves, attending cane toad races and just getting to know each other again.

It was a truly beautiful way to be away from my desk.

Which brings me to stuff. Every parent’s nightmare … maybe everyone’s nightmare.

It’s stuff. Stuff that clogs up everything.  When packing for holidays, stuff consists of clothing which wouldn’t really be worn, which you don’t really like that much, but you take “just in case”. It is spare bottles of moisturiser, packed “just in case” we were somehow left stranded on some deserted island, Lost-style, with dry hands. It was too many pairs of undies, t-shirts and – well – just a lot of stuff. Impossible to pin-point, elusive and nigh on impossible to define. It exists in that greyed-out, nasty space created by consumerism and fuelled by false needs and aspirations.

Draw breath ….

Phew. Glad I got that off my chest.

Anyhow, stuff cost me 50 bucks on the plane trip back because we were overweight, a sore back and just, well, clogged up everything.

When I got back to my desk, I resolved to clear it of stuff. This is a work in progress and I will report back in due time.

Which brings me to sausage rolls. Kinda.

One wintery day last week it was icy enough for me to crave that little parcel of fatty, meaty, salty, seasoned to within an inch of its life, morsel wrapped in buttery pastry – the sausage roll. So off we set (you can’t go on missions such as this on your own for fear of ambush, or loneliness don’t you know), Mikey, Tam and I.

Heads set down against the wind, we made our way to The Mill Bakery on Victoria Harbour. There, we found friendly attentive staff, a pretty counter filled with pretty pastries, and tragedy of tragedies, no sausage rolls. Sold out. All gone. Nada. Tres disappointed. But we will try again another day when the urge comes round again.

Which brings me to timber decking. Kinda.   

Craving a place, a particular feel, a certain quiet calm can be easier to satisfy than a craving for a food, because the place is always there, waiting to be enjoyed upon your return from other places. One of my favourite places in Docklands is the timber-decked area that fronts the new library.

There is something about that sheltered, peaceful and woody spot, flanked by dappled salty water and dominated by natural woody hues that is both grounding and calming. The perfect place to gather one’s thoughts, or perhaps even still them for a while as you simply sit, or walk, or dream away a lunch hour.

It’s recommended viewing for sure.

So, holidays, sausage rolls, timber decking and stuff.  Managed to fit them all in with some mighty awkward segues and some not so! But who’s counting?

‘til next time
X Maria