I have been away for four weeks, offline for five. I was invited to a wedding that took place in Ireland early January and after some procrastination, deciding whether I should give up four weeks of an Australian summer to go to the northern hemisphere in the middle of winter, I accepted the invitation and went. My third son came with me, and we met up with my daughter in London a week before Christmas.
I had a fantastic time and added some things to my ‘Live Life List’.
What is this list? My children claimed a ‘bucket list’ was too gloomy and ‘life’s goals’ too philosophical for me while on a holiday. So as we did things I just kept saying that I was ‘living my life’ and so after a while this all became my ‘Live Life List’. The list means to me ‘I enjoyed that’, ‘I had a great time there’, ‘I experienced that’, ‘I saw that’. The list had no planning involved. I made it all up as I went along and altered it however I wanted to.
Here are some of the things added to my list:
- I saw world’s tallest building – in Dubai
- I went on a desert safari – well not really, but I did have a 4WD trip into the desert
- I lived in London for a week – it felt like the centre of the world
- Saw a West-end musical – The Lion King. My daughter’s choice for a London experience.
- Joined in Christmas Carols at the Royal Albert Hall. My choice
- Watched an EPL football match. My son’s choice.
- Shared with my two youngest children a fantastic Christmas in Hertfordshire. New memories.
- Found the house where my maternal grandfather was raised in Norwich. Tracing my roots
- Went to a street party in Edinburgh to see in New Year 2013. Re-living the spirit of my youth
- Joined in the cheering on of an Irish band in an Irish pub. Just living for the moment.
- Lived the life of gentry for two days in Southern Ireland (for the wedding). Wow!
- Stayed at small villages in both Wales and the Cotswald. The heart of Britain.
- Learned how to download photos from camera to iPad to WordPress. Not all that easy!
I really enjoyed myself and had a great break from all the pressures that have been thrust upon me.
I returned yesterday to much warmer weather and longer days back home in Tasmania, Australia.
Best wishes to all my readers for 2013!
Tower Bridge, London
Royal Albert Hall
English Premier League
Random Castle
Lakes District
Village in Scotland
Wedding venue
Village in Wales
Bourton-on-the-Water
Kew Gardens, London
Spring into Summer 
Welcome back!
welcome back! great list. great photos. I’m not sure I’d leave the warmth to freeze somewhere else, but now a wedding is a different thing…
Great to catch up with you now that I am back. And it is great to be back to the warmer weather, sunshine, and longer days.
🙂
Oh my — I do hope you are safe in Tasmania!
I was wondering where you’d gone off to — so wonderful to share in the fulfillment of your list — great photos and list btw!
Welcome home (though yeah… heat to cold — but then, being with your children would ahve warmed your heart up infinitesimally!
Happy New Year!
Thanks and happy new year to you too.
It will take me a while to catch up on all your posts.
Your energy amazes me!
Awesome way to look at things! And what a great list. Good to see you back and congrats on tackling the iPad upload!
Thanks for your greetings on my return!
I would not say that the iPad and I are in love with each other but eventually it came to fruition. I am glad now that I am back to my computer though 🙂
Welcome back and hi5 for an awesome trip! Great job 🙂
Thanks for your greetings on my return.
I appreciate the connection 🙂
The last item on your list is almost as impressive as all the sights and fun experiences. Now you can enjoy the rest of summer at home. Sounds like a magnificent trip. Welcome back.
Thanks. Yes I am currently soaking up the summer sun and longer days. taking each day as it comes.
Welcome home, Elizabeth! Looks and sounds like a *delightful* trip! I hadn’t registered that home was Tasmania! What a beautiful place! I spent a delightful week at Cradle Mountain Lodge a few years ago–sooo beautiful….
Thanks for sending me greetings on my return. It means a lot to me to take up again with all my cyber-friends. Happy New Year to you.
Yes, Cradle Mountain is one of my favourite spots. It is not the highest mountain in the world, but something about it is so enticing. I keep getting drawn back there again and again as I always feel at peace whenever I go there.
I loved Cradle Mountain and you’re right, it emanates a sense of peace. I hope that I’ll be able to return someday….
If you do come this way again… let me know.
I would love to meet you in person 🙂
Thanks for stopping by …
I live in the U.S., but thankfully have been to a couple of those places you mentioned and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your photographs. One of the best things about the U.K. is it is very difficult to NOT take a good picture. Everything is so beautiful !! My family heritage traces back to Ireland and Wales and I’ve had 3-1/2 weeks in vacation there so far, including a lovely Welsh wedding in a tiny hillside chapel. Hope to be able to return as I’ve now made very close friends there and part of my heart remains in the U.K.
Yes me too. The style of the houses is SO different from Australia, you feel right at home straight away.
And there is a fantastic community spirit that exists in the villages and markets throughout the whole area.
Hi Elizabeth, this is a wonderfully inspiring post. I wish I had read this before the New Year as I only live 40 mins in the train away from Edinburgh City Centre, I would have loved to have met you. Definitely next time, or maybe when I visit your sunny homeland. Clarabelle
HI Clarabelle. So sorry to have missed you. It was a bit of an unplanned rushed trip in the end. I would have loved to have met you. Definitely next time. And there will be a next time.
Thanks for your friendship. 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth, yes definitely next time, really glad you had a lovely time. Clarabelle 🙂
Wow – I had no idea you’d been away! And half a year is gone already….
Beautiful photos. I wholly envy you going to a wedding in Ireland. Love the theme of this post 🙂
Thanks. Yes it broke the budget well and truly but was a magnificent break and so great to spend time on an adventure with my kids 🙂