5 things…

the week in photos

On a week that started in Eucumbene, had a pit-stop in the office in Sydney, a day at home on the Sunshine Coast and finished in Melbourne, it’s been tough to keep track of where I am and what I’m doing. Anyways, here goes with the (more than) 5 things that made me smile last week.

Cold mornings

It was minus 3 when we left Eucumbene on Monday morning – which made for a frostily photogenic drive into Cooma.

Catch-ups

I was in the office in Sydney on Tuesday and Wednesday, so that meant catch-ups with colleagues during the day, and with friends and family at night.

The new metro

I suppose that it’s only new-ish now, but it’s new to me. I found it ridiculously easy and on each morning there was a train to the city waiting at the platform at Chatswood when I had to change.

Home

I flew home on Wednesday night from Sydney and, given that I was working on Thursday had just enough time to empty the contents of the suitcases into the washing machine so I could pack it again for Melbourne.

I did, however, pick a good day to be home – blue skies and 28C. Not bad for late winter…

Welcome to Melbourne

Packing for the weekend constituted a bit of a challenge… When I arrived in Melbourne it was to a temperature of about 6 deg, rain, wind and sleet.

It is, however, one of the (many) things I adore about this city – how you can have rain one minute and blue skies the next. I also like being able to wear proper layers and winter clothes.

  • View from my room Sunday
  • Sunrise on Saturday

I’ll tell you more about where we ate etc on Thursday…

Flinders St Station

The One Man Band

This dude was walking through South Melbourne Markets on Saturday morning as his own one man band. Sounding like a 78 gramophone record his version of The Kinks’ Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon brought a smile to our faces and had us tapping our toes and doing the shoulder dance thing. It was one of those pure joy moments.

Chef’s Hat in South Melbourne

This shop is a treasure trove for foodies and cooks. While other women might come back from Melbourne with shoes, I came back with an enamel tarte tatin pan.

The Hellenic Republic’s White Taramasalata

I could seriously have eaten this stuff by the bucketload!

The RWA Awards Night

The reason for the weekend in Melbourne – the Romance Writer’s of Australia awards night and my book, Happy Ever After, was up for a RUBY (that’s the romantic book of the year award) in the romantic elements category.

I didn’t win the gong, but I did come second and I was seriously stoked.

Thanks to everyone who sent me messages on Facebook and Instagram – I’m proud, but also overwhelmed at the support. A special thanks to my Kiwi bestie who battled through the hardship of a girl’s weekend in Melbourne with me and who came to the dinner with me. Given that she got a shout-out in the book it was very fitting that she was there.

Okay, that was my week…how was yours?

Author: Jo

Author, baker, sunrise chaser

36 thoughts

  2. Wow Jo, I’m so thrilled for you! Massive congrats and well deserved I say 🙂 What a huge week and you’ve been everywhere man!!! I bet Melbourne was cold but being back home would be nice now. It was quite the dump of snow here and I was in Sydney so missed it but I drove through heaps yesterday to get home. Luckily the road was clear but the snow on the sides of the road and paddocks went on forever near Batlow! #lifethisweek

    1. It’s been a massive week & I’m very glad to be home. Melbourne was freezing but I loved seeing all the snow pics on Instagram over the weekend. Have a fab week.

  3. Huge congrats, Jo! What a full week and memorable weekend you’ve had. The fresh pita bread and dipping look delish. Have a wonderful week!

  5. What a wonderful week – could you have jammed any more in?! Congratulations again on your win, you did good! I’ve always wanted to go to Hellenic Republic and that taramasalata had me drooling! Can’t wait to hear all the ins and outs of your Melbourne trip later in the week!

  6. Such a lovely week Jo! Congratulations again on the award! So very happy for you!! Minus 3…yeah, not for me! It was bad enough on the weekend here. I still haven’t checked out the metro! I do have a friend who lives in Rouse Hill so I should make an excuse to go over to his place and use the metro. Next time I visit Melbourne, I should check out south Melbourne markets. Didn’t get a chance this time around. Hope you have a fantastic week!

  7. Hi Jo, I like the entire concept of the 5 (more than) things that make you smile. It creates a ripple effect and more smiles. Quite a difference from minus 3 to 28C. I get it on being able to wear the winter clothes. I have never heard of the Taramasalata etc. Food??? OMgosh, just having your book and your picture and your name up there. You deserve to be seriously stoked!!!! Congratulations!!!!

    1. Taramasalata is a dip made from salmon (mostly) roe, garlic, olive oil. It’s light moussey and seriously scrummy…

      1. First time I have heard of this. Sounds intriguing and good, especially if “Mikey” likes it:) (Jo, you are my taste tester and introducer of new foods:)

  9. You are such a little gadabout Jo! Eucumbene/Sydney/home/Melbourne all in a week! I haven’t travelled more than 20kms from my front door in the last week! I love that painting on the wall of Chef’s Hat – even tho’ I have no idea what the thing is that you’re eating or the enamel thingie is that you wanted to buy! And congrats again on coming 2nd – that is such an amazing achievement – who knows what next year’s awards will bring?
    Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 🙂

    1. Yep, it was certainly a larger than usual week – and for me, that’s saying something! As an aside, I know every time I post a recipe or something foodie you’d be sitting there with your eyes glazing over & absolutely giggle at the thought lol. My enamel thingie is perfect, just saying. xx

  10. Hi Jo I always enjoy your 5 things posts and this one is extra special with your placing in the Ruby Awards. I’m eagerly awaiting your next book. Melbourne is beautiful as always and I loved the first photo of the tree in the cold morning at Eucumbene. Thanks for sharing and linking up at #MLSTL and enjoy the rest of your week. xx

  11. Well that was one fabulous week you had! Congratulations again on the award. I am so happy for you. You bloody deserve it! xo

  12. Congratulations…so good to see your win and your happy face….and thank you for all the social media sharing you do, here and on IG as I get to experience far more thanks to you.

    A couple of weeks back I met my daughter and granddaughter at Norwest after I’d been to Westmead & they talked me into a ride to Tallawong and back on the Metro before I drove home. I was a naysayer tll then. Seriously impressed. My daughter’s now living near Tallawong and one of her kids has a job at Stanhope Gardens. She walks to the station, metro to Rouse Hill, off to a bus to SG. Easy! My daughter even started using it to go to Towers.

    Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week’s optional prompt is 33/51 Tea, Coffee or What? 19/8/19. Hope to see you linking up then too. Denyse.

    1. I hadn’t thought about the metro as being an alternative to driving to the Towers. I used to feel my blood pressure go up just driving into that carpark!

  13. Well done for your Ruby Romance Writer award Jo! That’s fabulous! A great achievement. Oh you are having cold mornings too – love your lead photo. I’m actually loving the chilly winter mornings and not looking forward to summer heat. #MLSTL and Pinned

    1. I’m really enjoying the mornings at present. We’re back into double figures (just) at 6am here on the Sunshine Coast & I know that in a couple of months we’ll really be missing that cool when the humidity hits.

  14. Again, congrats on the book nomination! And I’m loving your photos this week. That tree pic, the sunrise pic, the foodie store. Really makes me want to pull out my phone more and take some pictures of my life!

    1. Taramasalata is a Greek/Mediterranean dip made from tarama (fish roe), garlic, lemon juice, oil. In my post today I link to a recipe for it. It mightn’t sound appealing, but man, it’s moreish! Thanks for dropping by.

  16. What a busy week you had Jo! The photos are all lovely. And a big congratulations on the recognition for your book. I know a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into writing and publishing it. (Well, hopefully not too much blood!) I think I told you, but just in case, I wanted to let you know I read it and truly enjoyed it. Nice work.

    1. Thanks so much Christie – for both your words & for reading my book. But yes, lots of sweat & years…& metaphorical blood.

    1. We were in Canberra a few weeks ago & let’s just say the early morning didn’t have quite the same appeal!

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