i've been away

I've been trying to write this ever since I got back on Tuesday night but other stuff has got in the way.

The computer and modem had a holiday and decided not to talk to me, I was shopgirl yesterday, I had holiday unpacking and washing to do and a cat that needed some attention.

If you follow me on insta then you will know I was off on a short break in Tasmania. Normally I go at the end of August/start of September but with Dell soon to leave us for baby popping it seemed like a good idea to head south a little earlier than usual. So I had 5 nights in Hobart, a lot of driving about in the hired Subaru Forrester (harsh coming back to the 22 year old Nissan Pulsar let me tell you), yummy food, fresh air, beautiful scenery, a fair bit of not thinking and best of all... 

I got an aurora alert at 7pm on Saturday night, I jumped in the car and headed down to Howden where I met a bunch of other aurora-nerds and got to see the beautiful light show! It's not like the photos (all long exposure) but softer and gentler and more amazing. There were columns and ribbons and an aurora curtain that was oh so beautiful, we all umm-ed and ahh-ed and clapped nature for being so freakin' incredible. I dreamed of auroras that night and I can not explain how addictive they are, you want to see another one! 

I did MONA and the new renovated TMAG. I liked last years exhibition at MONA better I must say, I've been every year since the gallery opened but I was amazed at the size of the crowd this year, the MONA Effect is definitely at work. I think I enjoyed the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery more. The work they have done in the old museum is great and they have just opened the Bond Store section which is amazing. I loved Ian Burns installation in the basement, all light globes, clunky switches and magnifying glasses projecting onto the old stone walls. I love that TMAG hasn't chucked out all there old museum cases, there are some stunners in use, and have mixed up the old school museum with the new, it works really well.

I did spend a few days playing the 'which house do I want to live in game'. I think that it one reason I love Hobart, there are buildings right through from Georgian stone, Victorian maritime weatherboard, Edwardian, a splash of Art Deco and fabulous 50s..... and interestingly the you'll notice the windows are larger than usual in similar houses up here. Windows to catch the lights, wood fired heating, glassed in sun porches! And much less restrictive paint colours! Fabulous!

Anyway that was where I was for 6 days if you missed me. I think all the R-and-R leaked out of me pretty quickly on my return and being shopgirl yesterday was hard. I have so much work to do it is scaring me silly.