First batch of Cookies @ home

Chocolate Chip & Walnut Cookies.

I baked these cookies to give to friends. I stay away from sweets, most of the time, since learning how easy it is too overeat delicious sweets and desserts, and knowing that sweet foods do not support my well-being.

It is nice however, after enjoying many healthy meals, day after day, to occasionally eat something sweet just for the pleasure of tasting it. I feel, desserts taste much better after not eating them for long periods of time.

Fishing @ Shorncliffe

This bird (Pelican) pooh'd on me... unlucky, or is it lucky?

It was only a little bit, most of it fell onto the jetty behind me. I have learned to always check the light poles on jetties.

The sun was setting, and the cold ocean wind started to rush onshore. I stayed to watch the sun go down, and then made my way home... without any fish.

One day in Autumn, Tokyo

I went to the dentist to have my teeth checked.

I go there every 2 months, fortunately there are no serious poblems with my teeth.

I have had trouble with my gums, I had gingivitis and some cavities so I need to check them to make sure they are not getting worse.

After I finish my dentist appointment, I always walk through a small park near by.

There are several sakura (Japanesee cherry) trees and it's very beautiful in spring, when the trees are blooming.

On this day I found they had nice autumn colours .

the park is not that big but it gave me a happy moment, seeing nature, feeling nature.

Before Organising, Cleaning@work

I took photos in my office today.
I don't want to show this to anyone but I thought it's a good idea to write on this blog to encourage myself to clean my office.

I like to clean, but this is just out of my control, so i need to push myself a bit.







I'm so embarassed to show it here on this blog, but it's a good way to force myself to try to clean this place.










As you can see this is totally in chaos.

sigh...., anyway all I could do is just start, little by little.

lovely rabbit

"in the quiet country, 

under the trees and shrubs, amongst the grass and hiding in burrows

there are rabbits...

they never speak, 
they quietly sit, 
or hop, 
or scurry when they feel it is time.

they love to nibble on grasses,
and flowers,
and have a nap when they are tired, 
or nestle, down under the earth, with their families.

the natural world loves rabbits too and treats them kindly

giving them land and trees and open fields to jump and hop around

making the earth soft and rich, so that rabbits can make homes within it

the earth loves having rabbits digging holes and sleeping quietly under its surface

mother nature gave them soft little bodies, which beautifully express their peaceful, gentle nature.
we can learn a lot from rabbits.

having a rabbit close to you, and loving her, will certainly make you happy
for she is a blessing."

Present from Adam

I received really beautiful flowers from Adam on my Birthday.


 Actually, they arrived one day before, but it was so nice of him.



And he sang for me, "Happy Birthday to You" :) ...at midnight, in the early hours of my Birthday.

Visiting a Park

Today is my Birthday, normally i dont celebrate my birthday on this day.

Every year my parents and sister visit Tokyo to celebrate my birthday, but they come before or after my bd.

This year they came to Tokyo on 20th and we had dinner at the restaurant and stayed at a hotel near the park. We walked in the Park where there are beautiful autumn coloured trees.

In that garden, there is a Japanese garden, English garden, French garden, Chinese garden, rose garden, and japanese flowers garden. You can enjoy the varied scenery.

we could see many roses that were in bloom. they had many types, varieties, shapes, colors.

I really enjoyed seeing them, i felt i was so refreshed after walking through the park.

The park is located in central tokyo but there are so many big trees, many plants, flowers and birds too.

Out side of the park is quite busy, but once you enter through the gate, you can see a totally different world.

Do you like frogs?

A few years ago I was working on farms in Western Australia. I often came across frogs which were hiding in the shrines and trees. I thought the Australian tree Frog has a beautiful colored skin. They are calm creatures and not poisoness. Many of the other workers were afraid or disgusted by these frogs.
I found a tree frog outside my room this morning. So I picked him up and took a picture.

He was a bit dirty from hopping in the mud

Camp #94 Arcadia Valley

Im back at Camp #94 in the Arcadia Valley, Queensland. I've been here since last Friday the 4th November, it is now Wednesday. So far it has been a relatively easy hitch. I am working back to back with Peter (chef) who I had met once before while I was staying overnight at a camp in Roma. Peter seems nice,  he is much older than I am, and had spent many years cooking in the Australian Army.

Today was very quiet, since the rig as well as the camp are being moved to a new location. That means, for a few days, the camp will be quiet while the drilling crew all pack up the rig, move it through town, wash it down, set it up at the new site, all before they will move the camp. I still have to cook for a few workers who are staying behind, and for the other camp staff, Peter and Brian. I am enjoying this quiet time, Peter and Brian both manage to become bored and would rather be busy. We are different in that regard. Im happy to have a period of rest. I still have things I can do.
The camp is moving quiet far, out of the Valley, near Taroom. We should have the camp set-up and running as normal by Sunday or Monday.

Camp # 94, current location.

Neighbors.

その後。。。after that day

Adam is home and he seems to enjoy his days off.

I'm glad if he is happy.

and I'm grateful that he likes the gifts i sent from japan.

アダムの休日中に、荷物が届いて本当によかったです。

船便だったのでどうなることかとおもいましたが無事届いてよかった。

元気に、病気しないで仕事に復帰してくださいね。

少年はその贈り物に目を輝かして喜んだ。The boy was bright-eyed with delight at the present.

This morning I walked to the post office to pick up a parcel from Aco. The parcel contained number of very useful items such as, Black Tea, Body Lotion (soy based), Organic Dehydrated Dashi Stock, Special Red Miso Paste, Yuzu Kosho (spicy, sour, salty paste made from a citrus fruit "yuzu"), Special Shoyu (soy sauce), and a cute card :) Aco has a business, which provides various food, health care, and body products, made in Japan. I can say from experience that the products are very high quality and quite cheap.

Day after Day I consider how fortunate I am to have Aco in my life. She inspires me to live well. I have changed, hopefully for the better, over the years. My mind and body feel healthier, stronger, than ever before. There are a few aspects of my life, things I have received or learned from others, or found accidently, for which I am grateful. These things have enriched my life, bringing me gradually back-to-life. This coming back-to-life feels something like an awareness, which leads to an acceptance, of what supports my life. I hope I can continue to find appreciation within for all the aspects of life, not only for the things which help me feel good and live well, but also the challenges that I face day to day should be embraced bravely, eventually.

ありがとうございますあこ。

Thank you so much Aco.