this is a Conservation Area

much of yesterday was a bit crummy. the heavens closed on us, grey and spitting (which actually felt quite nice, but looked sad). but when i was wandering round at 8am trying to phone the girls in london there were all these cranky looking little girls running around in shin pads, which was funny. i went to the MALL (you have to do the accent when you say that) and bought $100 worth of very boring household goods. they make the room nicer, they really do, especially the lamps and sheets, but $$$! and malls!

then long phone convers with the paternal body (communication glut!) and hughie, who i haven't spoken to since i left, and more skype with the gaurox. i feel loved.

then i went to the night market in chinatown with some of hte eng-grad kids, which was quite interesting. it was quite small and there was a stage with a closing ceremony going on, with dancing and signing and comedians (in chinese) and we had some unfamiliar food, which is all good. also a really nice barbequed corn on the cob. mmm. . .

today i got up bright and early (again) and, obeying bbb's injunction to 'get out there and do something', hit the trails by 9am. this despite the warning sign:

Remember this is a Conservation Area. Wildlife can include bears, coyotes, cougars. Beware.

as it happened, the only wildlife i saw were some squirrels, one of which got very cranky with me and sat up a tree squeaking until i went away and left it alone. they'r ekinda like possums except much smaller and quicker.

i saw views like this:




(tell me when you're sick of photos of mountains) and had a lovely long bushwalk through this strange foreign-smelling forest. it was really nice. also the first real exercise i've done in a long time. i think i will repeat again soon. and i sat on a log and meditated.

good plans for today.