Here's to another 10!

It's Jacaranda season here in Brisbane, one of my favourite times of year ....

I try every year to capture the essence of this beautiful tree in a photo, but I can never quite manage it.  So I prefer to just drive down certain streets where I know there are plenty, or find myself a vantage spot somewhere in the city where I can look out across the lavender-daubed landscape.

The Jacaranda in flower holds a special meaning for me - it was blooming at the time I first arrived in Australia ....

  

Look closely and you'll see - that was 10 years ago yesterday.  10 years!  On the one hand I think, where does the time go?  But on the other, I wonder: how on earth have I managed to fit in all the things that have happened?

I've changed career not once, but twice. 

I've lived at 9 different addresses and am about to move into number 10. 

I adopted 2 beautiful girls ....

And have enjoyed so many amazing days in so many beautiful places around Australia that I can't possibly keep count ....

I've met many amazing people, from a bewildering amount of backgrounds, cultures and walks of life and built so many more lasting and meaningful friendships than I would ever have thought possible. 

But what this beautiful country means to me personally, more than anything, is freedom.  Here, in this amazing place at the other side of the planet from where I began, I found something unexpected, something I didn't even know I was looking for ....

I found the freedom to be me.


Til next time, Nx


PS at 2.50pm on Friday afternoon.  Celebrating with a cuppa and a lamington!