Normally I look forward to June – with cool nights and sunny, mild days, the weather is as close to perfect as it can be.
This year, though, June began with me unable to shake a persistent head cold and cough, and then Kali fell ill and subsequently passed away. I wrote about that here.
Amongst it all, there have been some bright spots, and that’s what I’ve chosen to concentrate on today.
Travel
As I’m writing this, it’s a chilly sub-zero (feels like further below zero) morning in Tumbarumba in the NSW Snowy Valleys. As the post goes live Sarah and I will be in Canberra.
Both places mean a great deal to me.
Tumba is in my bones. It’s my childhood. My father was born here as were his parents. His great-great grandparents arrived here sometime in the late 1800s. There have been Lyons’ and Doughtys here almost as long as Tumbarumba has been here.
Some of my best childhood memories are of visiting Grandma and Poppa. It has, however, been six (or seven) years since I’ve been back – and the last time Sarah was here was twenty years ago for the Doughty family reunion.
The sound of the magpies, the cold tiles, the woodsmoke hanging over town in the morning have all taken me back to when I was a kid.
While I’ll tell you more about what we got up to over the next few weeks, one of the highlights has been catching up with Debbie in real life – or IRL, as the cool kids say.
Canberra too, is special.
I arrived there in 1989, fresh out of an economics degree, to take a job at Westpac. It was there I met Grant, where we bought our first house together, and where we returned to when we got married in 1994.
It’s still one of my favourite Australian cities and these days has so much more soul than it used to.
While Sarah and I had this mini road trip booked for months, it couldn’t have come at a better time. The country air has helped heal our hearts after the loss of Kali.
Health
With everything going on and emotions running as high as they have, I’ve put on a few kilos when I was supposed to be losing a lot more, and I ended the month with no ticks against my goals. I’m feeling fat, flat, and weak. It’s time to get back to basics.
My health goals for July (and you heard it here first) are:
- Walk 100 (boots on ie intentional) kms
- (Mostly) dry July – well, at least Dryer Than Usual July. I’m planning 28 alcohol-free days. Count them – twenty-eight.
- 3 on-line strength sessions a week
I need to get back to basics food-wise, too, but while I’ve set myself targets, I won’t bore you with that. Suffice it to say it’s a return to all the things I know work for me: meal planning, time-restricted eating, more vegetables, and smaller plates.
Writing
For the week Kali wasn’t well, and the week after she died, I couldn’t write a thing—the creative part of my brain was overwhelmed. I did, however, use these weeks to edit Christmas at Fountains Hall (it will be going out to my beta readers when I get home) and the words I’ve written so far in Philly no. 3.
I also published weekly on Substack:
- Gull screeching, alpaca loaf and the nutbush
- Hobby horsing, editing and RIP Dr Michael Mosley
- Sad news, glad news and zucchini and cheddar scones
- Tumba Times
On this blog there was the monthly book post, a tribute to Kali, best dog in the world, and a wander through the sculpture forest just outside Tumba.
My July goals are:
- Finish writing Philly Barker No. 3
- Write a synopsis and blurb for Christmas at Fountains Hall
- Set preorders for Fountains Hall
- Register books published after 2019 for lending rights
- Draft sell sheets
- Email 10 libraries
Over to you …
Alrighty, that’s enough from me … what’s been on your calendar this month? Perhaps you’d like to update us on your word of the year or intentions? We’d love to hear about what you’ve been up to…
The linky is below and it’s open for a week…
My co-hosts are:
Deb at Deb’s World
Sue at Women Living Well Over 50
Donna at Retirement Reflections
And Anyways... 
You’ve certainly had a huge month Jo, emotional but also restful given the timing of your visit to Tumba. It was so good to see you in my little town and to share in your connections of the place. Your goals are sensible and I wish you well, all I could see of you was your radiant smile beaming from your beautiful face 🙂
It was so lovely seeing you too. We got lucky with the weather and had a lovely stay – emotionally it was exactly what I needed.
Hi, Jo – I do wish we lived closer. I’d love to walk 100 (boots on) km with you. I finding walking therapeutic. Since we’ve been home from the Camino, and then back from my mom’s, I’ve continued to walk at least 10 km each morning — all before Richard wakes up.
And how cool is it that Tumbarumba has been home to both your family and Deb’s. Seriously, what are the odds?! (Great photo of the two of you, btw).
Continuing to send big hugs your way.
I’m in awe of the kms you do. I know I need to be kinder to myself, but honestly, being stricter with myself is being kind at the moment. If I continue to wallow it won’t end well.
There’s a time for wallowing and a time for action. I’ve been there myself recently. Both are necessary for healing.
I wondered if you’d get to meet up with Deb! How fun. I feel like I’m not going anywhere with my weight loss goals either and it’s so frustrating.. I’m watching myself overeat and eat far too many sweets and I’m getting so mad at myself but yet can’t seem to stop myself. I’ve decided I need to get tough with myself too and set some much clearer & concrete goals.
Like many Pisceans I’m hopeless with boundaries so have to create some otherwise I suspect I’ll keep going backwards.
you have had a huge month emotionally so be kind to yourself. It’s good to take action though with some helpful goals to get you back on track.
A great photo of you and Debs – so wonderful to meet IRL!
Thanks Janine. It’s certainly been tough emotionally – I feel wrung out & fear that if I don’t take drastic action it will be the downhill slope for me, health-wise. It was lovely to see Debbie on her home turf.
Considering it’s been an up and down month for you Jo, you certainly have achieved heaps. I’ve learnt something about you in this post. Your Tumba and Canberra connections. Good luck with your July goals. I know you can do it.
Thanks Jennifer. I feel really flat and … weak, so need to retake some control.
Hi Jo what a roller coaster ride for you. From the tragic loss of Kali to visiting your childhood memories in Tumba as well as catching up with the Queen of Tumba, Deb it has been a huge month. The trip did come at the right time as you could take time out to start healing. You will get back on track but be kind to yourself most of all. It’s great you have some health goals in place to start the second half of the year. Congratulations on having Christmas at Fountains Hall ready for beta reading. Take care my friend and sending you lots of love and hugs. xx
Thank you. I’m still pretty fragile tbh but am able to mask it most of the time. The trip came at the best possible time.
We are here for you and you don’t have to mask it with us. Please take care. x
A month of contrast and interest. So sorry to hear about Kali. I remember the story of how Debbie discovered you were related, which is fascinating. How amazing to meet.
Such a month of memories that it’s hard to look back with so much that is both love and sadness combined. I am glad, however, that you and your daughter got to take this needed (and) sentimental journey. Truly understand the smells, sounds and sights from your past. I’ve been doing a bit of that visiting Dad’s old place of connecting with nature in Manly.
Be the kind woman to yourself that you are to your loving family and you will do well. And some comfort eating is OK…it’s soothing and cheering at once, and of course, getting those boots on helps with the endorphins too.
You and Deb catching up. How wonderful that is. It will be us one day too…
Denyse x
It will be …
Jo, I am envious of your road trip with Sarah and would love to spend quality time alone with my daughter. I’m sure this time together will be great for your aching heart.
As to health – Mid-year is a good time to regroup and setting managable targets is a smart idea. I just finished a 10 day ‘no alcohol’ detox and feel better for having done that. It provided just the ‘cushion’ I needed as we head into a month-long trip. Of course, I will need to do it again when we return, but that’s a story for another day.
It is nice that you got to spend some time with Deb. She seems like a likable lady and I’m sure you two have much in common. Have a great weekend.
Hi Suzanne, it’s something Sarah and I have done annually since she was about 5 – she’s 26 now and I’m grateful she’s still keen to do our little getaways.
I know it’s been a sad month for you, so I am pleased to read about all the things that also made you happy this month. What are the odds that the place your family roots are is where your blogging buddy Deb lives. As I wrote on her blog post, you two look wonderful in the picture… love the smiles!