Turning 17

Today, my baby brother turns 17. This is too weird. I'm 12 years older than he is (yes easy math, I know) and while 17 probably should seem like so long ago... it really doesn't. 17 years ago should feel like a long time ago too - but that also doesn't. I remember being there the day he was born. He came out with a squished nose and a blue tinge, but it didn't take long for him to be the cutest little thing ever with two teenage sisters to completely dote on him, which we did. From there, it seems it didn't take long for him to become this amazing young man of 17.

But today it made me think. What was I like at 17? What was happening in my life then. In the world (apart from it all revolving around high school dramas).

When I was 17:
I was in year 12 at Kent Street Senior High School.
I played the lead in my high school musical Little Shop of Horrors (bit sad, haven't performed since) - and I remember my brother, the only 5 years old bursting into tears in the audience when I got eaten by the plant. I had to leave straight after to go and calm him down!
I worked at my local supermarket as a check out chick for $6 something an hour.
I had a boyfriend I'd met working at the local supermarket.
I'd just discovered parties.
I wore halter tops and flared jeans.
I didn't have my licence, that took another year.
I lived in Forrestfield.
It was all about the Year 12 Ball. All we could talk about were our ball dresses,
I had lost my virginity (well it wasn't lost, I knew where it went - scandalous!).
I listened to Eminem - The Eminem Show, Milincolin - Pennybridge Pioneers, Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By the Way on high rotation.
I was watching Australian Idol and Sex in the City.
I weighed in at about 50kg... and did no exercise apart from walking to the bus and to work - wish it was that easy now!
I had a Nokia 3330 that you could only play Snake on, text and call.
I was doing 4 subjects at school Maths, English Literature, Drama and History studying for my TEE.
I dreamed of being a writer/actress.
I had a great bunch of loopy friends, a select few I've managed to retain and they are still my most favourite people and it's a joy to be growing up with them... even if some things were more fun at 17! 

Happy birthday little bro!

One of my fave photos of us - circa 2010.

What were you doing when you were 17?

Long weekend love - this weekend's pearls

I love long weekends! And the four day Easter weekend is the ultimate long weekend on the calendar. It might be a week ago now, but I'm still buzzing from my long weekend and what may have been the last few days of sunshine, it this week's weather is anything to go by.

I decided to abstain from the Easter themed baking pressure this year and instead focussed on a few things that truely made my weekend.

Loading all of my CDs onto my computer (because iTunes deleted everything when I got my new phone dammit!). It was so fun to go through all of my music, I've got a pretty random mix from 90s, through the norties up to last year really. Great reminiscing material that's for sure and can't wait to make up a few new play lists and revisit old favourites.

Baking banana bread. I love banana bread and MR loves it too so it's a cute thing I like to do... baking it for him. (Ofcourse getting to eat it is a welcome outcome.) Add loads of walnuts and blueberries - yummy weekend treat!

Family and friendly gatherings. Oh so many! That's the thing about long weekends, everyone wants to see everyone (and drink loads - eekk!) Lots of fun and laughter certainly had. 

15 minutes of us. Ok so it was more like an hour over breakfast, but in a weekend full of gatherings it was nice to take a short moment to have a wee breakfast out, on a windy day by the beach.

Harvesting and planting. Ok so I didn't do anything too strenuous but I loved getting this tiny chilli haul from our plants in the courtyard and planting a few other things around to bring our garden to life more this Autum.  
 

What did you get up to on your long weekend?

Visitors at the Ten by six

I love having visitors!

Over the last couple of months we've been lucky enough to have to bouts of visitors at the Ten by six.

Ofcourse, one great thing about visitors is that it's really good motivation to get your house looking absolutely spick and span. For instance, while preparing for our most recent lot of visitors, I discovered the grout in our bathroom tiles, is actually in fact white, not brown! See, I might never have know that!

But all jokes aside, the best thing about having visitors from out of town is the opportunity it presents to get out and do things! See your city, experience it as a tourist and show your visitors what's so great about your pretty piece of the world.

Having visitors is a really good reminder for me, exactly why it is that I live in Perth - because it really is beautiful and I love it! Even though my immediates all live in different states and at times I wish we all lived closer, I love Perth, and right now, this is exactly where I want to be. But too often I get caught up in all the day to day stuff - working, housework, writing and when I come up for fresh air I often bury myself in a good book instead. It's easy to forget about all the great places to go and things to do in Perth.

Enter my most recent visitors. My Dad and Step Mum recently spent a few days visiting at the Ten by six before we went to Bali with my sister and her family to celebrate a big birthday for my Dad. It just so happened the weekend they were here was the Araluen's Fremantle Chilli Festival. I always intend to go to all the festivals and then when it comes to it, never end up getting to them. what a treat! We spent a beautiful day in Fremantle and the surrounds, took a drive up the coast road around Cottesloe, drove up and down many beautiful streets in the area 'house watching' as we like to call it.

The other great thing about having family visitors at your house is that they inevitably fix things around the house for you while you're off at work, just to be helpful. Running toilet - fixed! Sticky front door - smooth again. Weeds - gone. Dog bed - assembled.

There is much to be said for having visitors, even if they do have to squish in a Ten by six!

 

What's your favourite place in your city to show off when you have visitors?

This week's pearls

1. The sunrise last Tuesday morning - did anyone else see it? I didn't get a picture so can't even show you but letting my pup outside on Tuesday morning there was a beautiful orange-pink sky painting the world in pink and orange hues.

2. Orange painted finger nails & toe nails (new favourite colour to brighten many a wintery day).

3. Visiting all of my family in general, and this little cherub in particular.

4. A few days of sunshine amidst a stormy winter. 

5. Those silly jokes with family members that have you splitting at the seems with uncontrollable laughter. 

6. New earrings from my favourite market Mindl Beach - arguably the best market in Australia.