The Canadians are here, and the wedding is comin'

Just one week until my eldest sister celebrates her commitment to her partner - a celebration of their love, a legal act that will bind them together for a long long while. Those family members for whom it was possible or reasonable have arrived here in Australia to celebrate with Krista and Tua, this means my parents and other sister, whom I haven't seen in 5 months arrived at the airport a few days ago, weary and warm from 24 hours of plane travel. We are in nearly the furthest place away from southern Ontario that we could possibly be. Whew. And so I've had friends to wander the streets of Sydney with for the past three days, as we took the harbour ferry over to one of the northern beaches, where I swam, we walked, and soaked in the blue views before skirting around the Sydney Opera House back into Circular Quay, where we disembarked, and wandered into the downtown core of Australia's most populated city. We had one big barbecue party at Krista's cute home, where we sat cozy and close to one another, said thanks for the food, for safe travels and for the ability of our family to be joining us for this special time in Krista and Tua's lives, and enjoyed fresh summery grub with one another.

And soon, we will head to Canberra for the wedding celebration, to take place in the country town of Gundaroo, in a garden, with the reception to follow in a historic building, and long standing restaurant in the town. I will continue to have plenty of thoughts on the topic of commitment, what it means to me, what long term monogamous relations mean to me, and if I desire such a relationship in my future. No doubt, more challenges will be had with last minute preparations, and stressful times will be had by the anxious bride and groom to be, as they prepare to throw a massive dinner party for all their favourite people; but love will be shown, between the two to be married, and from the family and friends that will gather in support of their love.

a new year

Goodbye 2011, and welcome a fresh new year.

My holiday celebrations were good - spent quite differently then in different years, but great nonetheless. I was at Bouddi National Park for my birthday, with it's unique geological coastline, stunning beaches and quaint campsites beside the ocean, it's exactly the way I hoped to spend my 25th birthday. Next came Christmas, where we joined Tua's (my sister's partner) family in their parents home down the south coast of New South Wales in Bermagui. Tua's stepfather is a keen cyclist, so I rode with him and my sister almost every day, along the waterfront trail, that overlooks a rugged lonely seeming beach en route to the quaint fishing village with a stunning beach with cliffy coastline surrounding. We spent a small amount of every day swimming, including Christmas Eve and Christmas day, we paddled kayaks and ate delicious food from the barbecue. We visited a quaint mountain town, and spent lots of time sipping wine on the covered raised deck overlooking Wallaga estuary Lake. As all good things do, this adventure came to an end, and so we piled back into Tua's car and drove the trek back to Sydney, where we schemed away at preparing a killer picnic (think - pure sunny day, crisp cold ciders from the cooler, oily Greek inspired rice pasta salad, fresh potato salad, raw veg and humus, local cherries, card games, and fireworks at the end of it all) for our New Years Eve festivities the next day. In fact, my New Years Eve felt strangely like Canada Day.

And now, I'm thinking about setting intentions for 2012. No one can ever know for certain what the next day of our lives will bring, but we can plan and anticipate some things with some degree of certainty - can't we? This year, I'll ride my bicycle to new places on a new continent. I'll see both my sisters join in long term partnerships through marriage celebrations. I have intentions to explore food systems in other countries, practice my gardening skills. I have intentions to learn and explore my chakras - the focal areas that are centers for energy transmission, that regulate core identity and creative expression. I want to eat and drink more slowly, thoughtfully, taking time to describe, to myself, to others, the taste, texture, flavours, feelings of the food in my body. And, I intend to figure out what's next for me. Not in a stressful, meaningless way that takes me away from the enjoyment of the present. But in a subtle, introspective, attentive way, keeping my eyes, ears and heart open to the potentials that this wonderous life has and will continue to present to me. No matter what this big life has in store for me, I promise to not try too hard to control it or to figure every little thing out; instead I will try to "embrace it all and be grateful for all things that make life a little sweeter"...