Foggy and Unclear

The area around the South Burnett region is slightly elevated at certain regions. This means that the temperature around here is generally several degrees colder than Brisbane. We've had a few cold weeks and days where you would find frost on the grass or on your car if it wasn't parked indoors (unfortunately I'm normally quite blind and unobservant and have yet to see this for myself).

The elevation and mountain ranges also means that we get a fair bit of fog settling in the mornings and nights across large areas. You can sometimes be driving on a clear road, and notice a distinct fog settled over the town ahead as you come to it. 

Up here in the Kingaroy area I've had my fair share of clear gorgeous days. Days like this where you drive home in the sunset feeling all calm, peaceful and thankful for the blessings and opportunities given to you.

 Yet on some mornings as I drive off to work, the land is cloaked in a heavy fog that provides a visibility of perhaps 15-20m (Ok I'm not that good at gauging). It was scary the first time I drove through such thick and heavy fog, but most people are are aware and keep their headlights on. And as long as you're not blind drunk, it's pretty safe driving in fogs (or so I think for now).

 Once again, compare the stark differences between clear skies...

...and heavy fog.

There are many times in my life where I feel that everything is quite crystal clear, where I know or am sure of some things or plans I have for the future. Times where I can see so clearly ahead and think to myself, 'yup that's what I'm going to do and going to be like'. Times where the inner pedantic planner in me has the plan down to the minutest detail. Times where it all feels like this:

These are the Wooroolin Wetlands that are across the street from my place. I like to call it the 'Tree Cemetreee' hurhur.. Basically the land area was flooded during the floods ages ago and all the trees died and the area never dried up.

 But then again, there are also plenty of moments in my life that feel just like that:























 Night driving in the fog can sometimes be scary and fun at the same time. You get to see wisps of fog streaming past your car, and it somehow makes me feel as if I were flying a plane.

 Anyways, back to what I was saying, many times I have no idea where the hell I'm going, except for the immediate, what is right in front of me. I suddenly have no inkling of what is to come, what I'm going to do, what the future holds. It gets frustrating, confusing, depressing all at the same time. Just following the road as you come to it, not knowing what's ahead unless someone with a headline is coming towards, giving you just enough warning to watch out and not crash.

 

And then sometimes skies are perfect one moment, and as I said, you see a fog that has nestled itself amongst the land ahead of you and suddenly, you can't see nothin'.

Babies! Babies! Babies!

The two week holiday that consisted of 51 hours flying in the air, transits and stops at 8 airports in 7 different countries left me pretty wiped out when I arrived back on Aussie soil two Sundays ago. Albeit feeling more drained than I was refreshed from the 'holiday', I enjoyed every bit of it on hindsight. 

Work, money, professional development and advancement, I'll have my whole life to do it. 

Seeing your nieces gain each milestone, each smelly poo, each cranky night (ok that I don't really miss), each cuddly moment, that just flies past and doesn't come back once it's gone (or at least until I have my own).

 Now I think I haven't put up many photos of them this year, or ever since Ellie was born. Well, at least not as many as I used to when Gaby first came in the picture! But for those of you who know my sister and have missed out, here are the two little rascals she has now..

Little Miss 'Perpetually-shocked' Ellie

Cheeky dominant older 'nazi' Gaby (only because of the funny intonation she has when she speaks!)

I was telling my sister that it was exactly 2 years ago when I made my second trip up to Zurich to see the then 8/9 month old Gaby. (They're almost exactly 2 years apart). Actually, now that I think of it, I don't think I had been up since then (I cannot believe how poor my memory of events are.. I can't even remember what I did this time last year)!

I told her that the 8-9 month age is still my favourite period in all baby-hood. Where they're moderately independent at sitting up so much so that you can leave them there, but not mobile enough to go running around like headless chickens.



PLUS THEY ARE SO SQUISHYYYY

What did I say about that perpetually shocked look. I never imagined my sister would be running around with a double buggy, or 2 prams. I just assumed that children magically walk themselves.



Four years from their wedding and 2 kids later..

...neh neh my sister still looks younger than me lor..