Feliz Cumpleanos para mi

Today I woke up to a beautiful breakfast prepared by my son who set it up on the kitchen table with lit candles, birthday cards and wrapped up presents. Through the window the Winter sunshine showed me that sometimes perfect moments exist. I have always loved days like this in Winter...cold but with blue skies and warm rays of sunshine. We had a great breakfast, afternoon coffee in Camberwell, movie (Super 8), dinner at De Los Santos with flamenco music and to conclude dessert at home (apple crumble) and delicious birthday cake made by Ric.

Hoy me levante con un desayuno riquisimo preparado por mi hijito quien lo presento en la mesa de la cocina con velas encendidas, tarjetas y regalitos. Por la ventana el sol invernal me mostro que a veces existen los dias perfectos. Toda la vida me gustaron los dias asi en Invierno...frios pero con cielos azules y calidos rayos de sol. Tuvimos un desayuno perfecto, merienda en Camberwell, pelicula buenisima (Super 8), cena en De Los Santos con flamenco de fondo y para concluir postre en casa preparado por Anton y torta de cumpeanos deliciosa hecha por Ricky.

I had beautiful presents and lovely messages and phone calls from family and friends. I had cat cuddles and a whole lot of love. What a shame that perfect days have to end.

Tuve regalitos hermosos y lindos mensajes y llamados de telefono de amigos y familia. Tuve abracitos gatunos y un monton de amor....que lastima que los dias asi tienen que terminar.

Vestiges of sunshine

Like an artist using his paintbrush to colour the top of the trees orange, the remaining Sunday sunshine bathed the top third of this street in light, leaving the rest in a cold penumbra. I was driving home after a nice cafe latte and jam scones when I saw this beautiful gift of nature. I pulled over the side of the road and snapped these images. Being a good observant of nature rewards me with some simple but beautiful moments that would go unnoticed if I was a simple passerby who is only wrapped around the mundane problems of a superficial life.
This weekend I had some well deserved rest, slept in and did not worry too much about things. It is difficult to unwind though, I am finding.

Como un artista usando su pincel para colorear de naranja la punta de los arboles, lo que quedaba del sol dominguero bano la tercera parte de arriba de esta calle, dejando el resto en penumbra fria. Yo manejaba para casa despues de un cafe con leche y escones con mermelada cuando vi este paisaje hermoso. Pare a un costado y saque estas imagenes. Ser un buen observador de la naturaleza me gratifica con simples pero hermosos momentos que no serian notados si fuera un pasante enroscado en los problemas mundanos de una vida superficial. Este fin de semana apreveche a descansar merecidamente, dormi bastante y no me preocupe demasiado por nada. Es dificil desenchufarse, estoy notando.

Back in Paradise

We found ourselves in paradise once again today after one hell of a week. Listening to the Codes and Keys CD on the road was our chosen way to unwind and relax. We did a bit of shopping, bush-walking and enjoyed some coffee, beer and chips. It was cold but not colder than Melbourne in Lorne. Everyone was there, the shops were full of life, kids on scooters, skates and even people surfing. Shame that gets dark so early.

Home is a Fire (DCFC)

Codes and Keys

Finally new music from Death Cab for Cutie is out! Codes and Keys has 9 songs and at first glance seems just as beautiful as the others. I listened to it in the car on the way back from our Sunday outing. I love having new music and slowly get to know the lyrics and the melodies to discover the layers of composition. I enjoy it immensely. The only thing that would make it perfect would be to get to know this CD on the road, as so often has been for other Death Cab for Cutie's CDs. I am starting to itch for a road trip with the family to disconnect from the daily stress and to re-connect with Ric and Anton. It is being a difficult year, so busy that sometimes we don't have time to talk, but we all know that the end is near and that persistence is the key to achieve our goals. We must press on and we will soon savour the rewards, hopefully.

Finalmente salio musica nueva de Death Cab for Cutie! Codes and Keys (Codigos y Claves) es el nuevo CD, tiene 9 canciones y a primera vista (u oido) parece tan lindo como los otros. Lo puse en el auto en camino de vuelta de nuestra salida dominguera. Me encanta tener musica nueva y de a poco ir conociendo las letras y las melodias para descubrir las capas de composicion. Lo disfruto inmensamente. Lo unico que lo haria perfecto seria conocer este cd el la ruta, como tantas veces lo ha sido antes con otros cds de DCFC. Estoy empezando a sentir la picazon por un viajecito en familia para desconectarme del estress diario y para reconectar con Ric y Anton. Es un ano muy dificil este, tan enkilombado que a veces no tenemos ni tiempo de hablar, pero sabemos que la meta esta cerca y que pesistencia es la clave para alcanzar nuestros objetivos, asique hay que darle para adelante y pronto degustaremos la recompenza, esperemos.