Courtesy jdurham@morgueFilefree photos

Change…
“To make something different. You can cause something to change, or you can bring change upon yourself.”… Google Business Dictionary

Change
When change is as good as a holiday
Dust out those gorgeous china cups and use them more
Change enlightens the spirit

You are aching for a holiday, a change to the everyday dreary, where can we go, but have little funds, I need a break moment of madness.

Staycation…have you ever indulged?
Now isn’t that a good word, indulged. It makes it sound so much better than we went, or we did

Plan. Give thought. Try and make the main part of home really inviting and fresh with nothing but a little time and elbow grease….or do it later with everyone pitching in after a refreshing recharge out.

Stay based at home but…

Enjoy a myriad of little trips
Search out
Visit new places for
a snack
a coffee
a catchup
a picnic
a new communal meeting point with friends
Time and connection with loved one
Time and connection with children

So instead of a few hundred dollars just on accommodation for at best a couple of nights you have the pleasure to indulge many little occasions spread over time. You can spend nothing by bringing from home, or treating for this occasion. Again it doesn’t need to cost a heap. New surroundings, pleasant views all add to the special ambience….give it a little thought and do some homework or ask acquaintances.

Courtesy greyerbaby@morgueFile free photos

I was reminded of our staycation whilst looking for a particular photo. Well I didn’t find it as it’s on my phone and I have yet to be able to download them. But it gave me a germ of an idea for a topic:)

We did staycation last year because all the accommodation we looked at was just so unrealistic. I think of it as “the end of winter, need to lift the blues.” We had amazingly beautiful weather crowning OUR day.

Leaving home without breakfast we drove to somewhere and as I don’t know that part of Sydney hence no name. It was a beach….hubby just corrected me, it was somewhere in Collaroy. Here we enjoyed brunch right on the seashore with a slow coffee. We lingered and savoured the moment. A little walk was included.

Then onwards to Palm Beach enjoying the ocean road. I know that name as I love the area though we have hardly ever been there. We found a nice bench on the edge of the sand and got our respective books out to peruse, to watch the ocean perchance to snooze. Another walk to a park for more chatting , reading and hubby snoozing. A few steps found another lovely eatery for a very late afternoon snack which actually became our evening meal as we didn’t eat that night.

Thence home unfortunately through traffic but that’s part of going on a Friday….our day off.

One long spread out gorgeous, decadent indulgence which I would love to repeat and hope to. Kill the winter blues sounds a good idea I think and something to look forward too. But maybe with a bit of careful budgeting as hubby is the proud new owner of a Pension Concession Card….he’s worked hard and now counting down with just under two weeks to him retiring and new adventures on the horizon….Retirement being a journey and not a destination.

Do you have little indulgences?

It doesn’t take much, does it,to change a hopeless want into reality if we just think about it differently.

Joining in with Essentially Jess for IBOT

Courtesy ‘xenia’@morgueFile free photos

The power of networking
Sharing, supporting each other, extending oneself, opening new horizons, searching out new ways to help yourself by connecting with another

My example of networking came to me randomly as I was reading about the struggles farmers go through.

Courtesy ‘click’@morgueFile free photos

We support a butcher who is I guess is semi rural. When I drive to visit one daughter I always have to go past him so I decided to get bulk meat for the family on the way through for daughter or on the way home when buying for myself. I always SMS daughter before I come over to check if she needs meat as she doesn’t drive this way in business hours. We would mainly purchase chicken breast, amazingly cheap legs of lamb and if asked he will butterfly the meat by carving out the bone which I then use for soup. At times bulk mince, bulk rump steak and lamb chops. All are way cheaper than the big supermarkets….and his legs of lamb are THE best…so delicious and tender.

Courtesy ‘Kakisky’@morgueFilefree photos

Now the networking connection I learnt recently is that this butcher has a contact at a country farm quite a few Kms away, maybe a five-hour drive. So he has cut out the middle man and is helping himself AND the farmer.

Courtesy ‘Richcd’@morgueFile free photos

Then we learnt of the next networking connection. Our daughter’s local semi rural IGA independent grocery store now sells meat from this butcher….again a plus for everyone.

Times are tough but people can work together for the benefit of all.

We can help each other just by being there for someone, or we know that mummy X is really good at doing Y so she can help mummy O….so many ways of social interaction to provide needs whether of succour, support, deeds or things.

Let’s find ways to network with those who need or find ways for our own needs. In return hopefully we will find a mutual benefit.

Help is more than just caring….
Do more than care, help
William Arthur Ward

Courtesy ‘Hotblack’@morguefile free photo

In real life situations
Young and older together
Family, friends and acquaintances
Helping and learning and laughing together
At camp Staycation…the best

Linking in with Essentially Jess at #IBOT
PS…this post was scheduled to load after midnight for Tuesday…well the technology didn’t work as I discovered on coming home from a day out…Oh well…I had fun anyway today