Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

I'm off on my travels again this week Hope you will join me Wren x Linking with My Sunday Photo Thanks to Darren at Photolife

Hello! Happy Sunday, today I’m in Queensland for the Problogger Conference. Problogger is my first ever opportunity to meet other Aussie bloggers on a mass scale - there are over 500 of us gathered for two days of networking, training and workshops. It gives me scope to reflect on my Little Wandering Wren journey and plan my future blog strategy. I learnt many things over the weekend but one thing resonated with me most a quote from the Problogger founder Darren’s Mum which said  Your life will be better of you take actions  on the things, you like to avoid I have been pondering for a while certain aspects of my:  “Crazy soccer mum, trying to become Zen yoga mum” life. The first being how appropriate is it to refer to myself as a Crazy Soccer Mum when my youngest is twenty years old ... and the soccer season is over! Perhaps there’s a small element (ok a massive, whopping element) of hanging onto a past identity, uncertain what to replace it ...

Here's the Crazy Poodle  with his shaggy winter coat left long to survive an outdoor Aussie winter. It's been chilly this week. I scraped frost off the car windscreen on Wednesday which is virtually unheard of here in Melbourne. Mutt's happy to have been out for a decent walk, after a week where we were all office-bound, and he didn't get the attention he thought he deserved! His elephant friends were found in the grounds  at Merricks General Wine Store on the hinterland of the Mornington Peninsula. Good things come in little packages! We had walked from Red Hill South to Merricks Station Ground  along the disused Rail Trail.  It's a peaceful 6.5 km stroll  past vineyards and pony paddocks  through the pine trees and forests. We love this walk as it offers a different side of the Mornington Peninsula than our usual beach walks.  It was great to arrive at the Merricks General Wine Store in time for a cuppa and cake. They have r...

Surf's up! We're slap-bang in the middle of Winter here as these windswept birds on Sorrento surf beach show... Hold on tight, Summer's coming! Infact, Brisbane, Queensland had their hottest winter day for 70 years  yesterday. The Sunshine Coast, only a two-hour flight away,  enjoyed 31 degrees Celsius - 87 °F Beam me UP  Scottie!  Here in Melbourne ' the cold wind doth blow'  and although we have not had snow,  our Alpine area, only a three-hour drive from Melbourne, is having a fabulous snow season.  As they say, every cloud has a snowy lining, or something like that! It seems like my family and friends in Europe are at last enjoying (sweltering?) with a bit of a heat-wave. But where ever you are, I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Linking with thanks to Eileen at Saturday's Critters  and Darren at Photalife Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

I love returning home after a long trip away It's fun to spot all the new things in the neighbourhood. Like this brilliant  Steen Jones    street art outside  Hello Sailor cafe on Auburn Road.  Nothin but Smooth Sailing: https://steenjones.com We've had a big weekend in Australia because we had a  General Election on Saturday which was far from smooth sailing  for all the political parties as we are still waiting on the final result! I am wishing you all 'Nothin but Smooth Sailing' this week With Love Linking at My Sunday Photo with thanks to Darren at Photalife

Sunflower Boy is my son, we have left him in Madrid to join his mates  for a seven-week  European adventure. Family holidays with Grandparents are rare and precious  when you live on the other side  of the world. Ten years ago my parents joined us for a holiday in the South of France. My Father took a picture of my son holding a sunflower. The little boy in the photo is now grown up he is 6 foot 3" This week reunited in Madrid, my Dad produced the photo Of course, I bought a sunflower and we recreated the picture. This is him walking back to the hotel with his flower! Happy travels sunflower boy! Linking with My Sunday Photo - Thanks to Darren

It seems the whole world loves Paris and a French theme. We're in Macau a Special Administrative Region on the southern coast of China Famous for it's Portuguese tarts (both the edible and the not so savoury!)  and gambling. Macau is bigger than Las Vegas for gambling, becoming the world's largest gambling centre in 2006.  At the time I was working for US casino giant Las Vegas Sands.   Our work was all about bringing Venice in the shape of the Venetian to Macau. Fast forward a decade and Macau has  changed big-time. It is a vibrant resort destination that never ceases to amaze and impress. Since we were last here, a half scale replica of the Eiffel Tower has appeared. This Paris-themed casino is at the heart of Sands, China newest developments. Ultimately Macau will be a 100 billion market. It's exciting to think that by Wednesday we will be able to wander along  admiring real Eiffel Tower! Linking with My S...

Dami Im wins the Eurovision frock contest! There's none so funny as life itself... Within weeks of Britain voting on whether it wants to remain in the European Union, Australia it appears, quietly snuck in through the backdoor. And with a massive 12 points all round  Our Sunrise breakfast TV was calling it as a  'Dami Im victory '  in Eurovision2016... That was until the popular vote came in. At the point of ' By Jove, I think she's done it' Dami was interviewed and asked what she would do if or when she won? Her reply, that she would 'have a lemonade' with her support crew, had us all Down Under rushing to the morning-after-the-night-before fridge  to see  if by chance we had any lemonade  to celebrate with her - fat chance! Put the Aussie flag up we've won Eurovision .... no take it down! For those in the know, The Eurovision Song contest it has been around for 60 plus years.  It is the European singing c...

Today is the 2016 Australian Formula One Grand Prix and if you are watching it around the world on the television you will see what a wonderful day it is here in Melbourne! We have the sunshine, we have beaches and we have a whole load of noisy cars! Earlier today I took the crazy poodle for a walk and we came across a 'Born in the USA' car rally.  I loved this number plate! Hot Chevy Dog Linking with thanks to Katherine and friends at Thursday Favorite Things  at My Sunday Photo with thanks to Darren at Photalife

My Sunday Photo I love Australian beaches  just look at it!  The vast expanse of golden sand  and only an occasional surfer. Rye Ocean Beach, Mornington Peninsula You need to be an experienced surfer to tackle this surf, to avoid the rips and rocks,  and not to mention the odd shark lurking about. Happy Hols! Linking with Sally at Blue Monday Wordless Wednesday With Image-in-ing  and at My Sunday Photo Thanks Darren!

2015  a very delightful year! Family highlights: Schools out for ever ! All Kids at University.  Travel:  Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, Belgium, France, Vanuatu Career highlights: returning to paid employment with Asylum Seekers.  Isn't it interesting to see your most popular posts,  compared with what you believe are your best posts ?! Here are the most viewed each month  with March's My Sunday Photo "Escape" coming in the winner! JANUARY Happy Australia Day 2015   FEBRUARY Welcome to our Melbourne Madhouse  Australia I love having the Japanese girls to stay! MARCH My Sunday Photo: Escape  Australia APRIL Good Friday Royal Children's Hospital Appeal Melbourne  - Australia MAY I remember Wren  - UK JUNE Paris memories  - France JULY Alice in Oxford  - UK AUGUST Spring in Melbourne SEPTEMBER When two world's collide ...

It's Melbourne Cup weekend. The horse race that stops a nation. Here's a teaser of what I will be wearing on Tuesday... Some pink shoes, a pink hat  and no doubt a touch of dog hair! Linking with Saturday Critters Thanks Eileen!

Linking with thanks to Image-in-ing

I saw this on a car in Melbourne this week and loved the reflections in the bonnet... and seeing the first of the autumn leaves trapped in the grill around the word  ESCAPE! ....writing this from Bangkok! Linking with thanks to the following: My Sunday Photo Weekend Reflections