Older but wiser party girl.

We just finished two full days of socializing and parties and although it was fun... I'm pooped. Also, I had a rare glass of champagne yesterday and it knocked me on my keister. At today's party for an old friend who turned 50 this week, his 20 year old daughter was telling me about her "uni"(university) adventures and antics. It brought back so many memories of my own college days. I was never a "wild child" but I had plenty of crazy times to recollect. Driving into the forest at 3:00am to sleep in total darkness, (Don't ask me why, it made sense at the time.) or taking a last minute road trip to Chicago for a weekend, or even just eating a whole pizza with a box of doughnuts with my good friend Tanya at 2:00 in the morning INSTEAD of studying for the test coming up next day. Silly things that were so easy back then but seem impossible now. I can't even IMAGINE staying up till 2:00am these days. I'm usually tucked into bed by 11:00 at the latest and maybe reading a book for 15 minutes or so until I fall into oblivion. But you know, it is great to look back and realize that even though that time was such a wonderful time in many ways, (for instance I had my health intact and I was more carefree) I am so happy to be the woman I am now rather than the child I was then.

I know what it is now to love and be loved with full and overflowing hearts.

I know the joy of holding and raising my gorgeous daughter through her miraculous birth until today.

I know how to be softer and to breathe more fully in each moment of the day, even when that moment is painful or distressing. Especially then.

I know that even if I am not here tomorrow or next year, in some small way I have made a difference to people in my life and hopefully for the better.

I think these are the treasures of growing older and hopefully more than make up for giving up the delights of late nights and doughnut pig-outs. (Okay, sometimes I still do have the doughnut free-for-all but VERY RARELY! ;-))

So back to our holiday here in Melbourne. Have I mentioned that it has been raining? I MEAN REALLY RAINING! More rain than they've had in YEARS. I knew I could bring the Portland weather here if I really put my mind to it. Anyway, here's a photo of the in-laws watertank. It was nearly empty when we got here and now it is nearly full! Yay!

They use this water tank in the summer to water the garden and to help lower the amount of water used. Everyone here takes their duty to save water very seriously and it is something I really love about this place. The feeling of fair play and doing the right thing for the community.

Anyway, we leave for our city adventure tomorrow so I should have many more pics in the next few days.

Hope this finds you well, hydrated, and revelling in your own misspent youth,

Jan