The location was excellent – staying in an apartment overlooking the beach, and handy to many sight-seeing areas. It was great to walk along the beachside walkways, and to wander onto the beach – the water was a perfect temperature too.

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Dinner out on a couple of evenings, some shopping – finding a couple of great bargains, also a wander through markets, and exploring little tourist areas in the mountains. A good balance of holiday outings and relaxation.

Afternoon tea in the mountains was a pleasant experience. The restaurant has a panoramic view of the mountains, over 180 degrees, and the local rainbow lorrikeets come in to visit the patrons on the verandah area, trying to swipe some food!

A sense of humour is also something to be grateful for. A car parked at the restaurant was bringing some chuckles from passers-by. Check out the photo to see why:

With Gratitude Today,

Julie

Although it is sad to sell this property which is a great rural setting, close to town and in a coastal area, and although the sale price was less than hoped for, it is still a positive to have completed the sale and therefore be ready to move forward to the next venture.

As a bonus, the sale includes the continued occupancy of the property for almost a year, so I express gratitude for being able to continue to enjoy the property, and also being able to have a leisurely process in moving to the next home.

Two pages of photos of the property are currently posted at http://www.realestateforlifestyle.com   (although if visiting this site at a later date, the postings on the site will have been changed)

In Gratitude,

Julie

There is a sense of freedom and perhaps escape, to setting out for a drive, without restrictions on time or destination, just driving and enjoying the scenery.

A stop for lunch in a small country town was an added bonus.

A day trip, or a weekend drive, can be just as refreshing as a more extended holiday.

In Gratitude,

Julie

I have often joked “What’s the use of a cat?!” Because they seem to spend most of the day sleeping.

Cats seem to be able to sleep anywhere. Cats, pups, other young animals and young children and babies all look so peaceful when sleeping. It can be very calming to watch them sleeping. And perhaps we can learn something from their worry-free, sound sleeping.

A good night’s sleep is important for health, physically, and also mentally and emotionally. If people are deprived of sleep, they firstly become drawn and haggard in appearance, and if sleep deprivation is continued, cognitive function deteriorates further and can even cause psychotic episodes and erratic, irrational behaviour.

It is great to awake refreshed from a good night’s peaceful sleep.

In Gratitude,

Julie

Several people were interviewed about their sudden change in circumstances.  They had suddenly found themselves in the situation of being homeless and sleeping in their cars.  Safe night-parking bays have apparently been set up in some areas of the States, to help provide some safety for the influx of people now homeless and having to spend the night in cars.

One lady had previously been living in a very comfortable home but had been foreclosed by the bank, after they would not accept a purchaser she had ready to buy her property.  She was suddenly homeless and feeling like a non-identity, and had lost most of her possessions.  She was also trying to keep her circumstances secret and trying to continue with her work.

Another lady had lost her rental accommodation when she could no longer pay her rent after her job had disappeared due to the current economic impact on her area of occupation.  She was sleeping with her two dogs, which provided some warmth for her in the car.  And a family with young children were parked in a van for accommodation after losing their house.

In another program this week, a family in Australia were interviewed about their circumstances, being foreclosed by their bank, after the husband suffered a spinal accident some months back and had been unable to work during that time.  The payments on their home and two rental properties got behind and the bank was not prepared to negotiate.

And another family, who lost their home and all their belongings in a fire, and had been uninsured, because the husband was already under hospital care for severe injuries from a tractor accident.

The interviews were also a reminder of how close things can be to a drastic change in circumstances.

Gratitude today is for the comfort of a safe, warm bed to sleep in at night.

In Gratitude,

Julie

The distress and terror these people were experiencing, reminded me to be grateful for the peace and security that my home, my town and my country experience and expect.  I am fortunate to live in a peaceful area, free from war, military insurgence, and general unlawful, gang-type activities, and where I don’t have to be in fear for my life on an ongoing, daily basis as is experienced by many in other areas of the world.

I have the freedom to go about my daily activiities with a feeling of security and safety.

In Gratitude,

Julie

Sitting here at my desk, the outlook extends across pastures and trees to distant mountains, with horses grazing near the house, as they wander just outside the windows, ever hopeful of being given the special treats of carrots.

There are beautifully colored birds in the area, and they often come down onto the verandah to see if there are some seeds on offer, and to chat with the pet bird.  The wild birds can also be heard singing in the nearby trees.  There are a few well-fed kookaburras also – they obviously don’t have any problems finding a good feed.

Kangaroos and Wallabies pass through the property, usually towards the afternoon.   Often they can be seen tending to young joeys in the pouch.

Recently a pair of wild ducks hatched twelve little ducklings which could be seen daily, wandering across close to the house.  It was surprising to see what good parents they were, always still with their twelve little ones following behind.  Surprisingly, all 12 survived, grew and flourished.

A meandering creek cuts through the property and there is also a forestry area which is pleasant to walk through. 

All this, in the peaceful rural setting, and yet only ten minutes in to town and about half an hour to the coastal beaches.  This coastal area is also a tourist destination, so there are lots of interesting activities and attractions.  Certainly a lifestyle to be thankful for.

There are two pages of photos of the property at: http://www.realestateforlifestyle.com

(but if following this link at a later date, the site might have some changes)

In Gratitude,

Julie

Hearing one of the small dogs barking at the front of the house, I opened the door to reprimand the dog for being noisy, and then found the dog had a reason for barking…. Just there, right at the front door, was a snake, with it’s head reared.  The snake was perhaps about three feet long, although not very large in body circumference.  I had one small dog standiing on the other side of the snake barking at it, and two other small dogs moving about close to the snake, but apparently not aware of it.  And the snake was only a couple of feet from me also!  Panic! 

Not knowing what type of snake it was, or if it was dangerous, I was anxious to gather the dogs and get them away from the snake.  I managed to get the dogs inside and get the door shut between us and the snake.   After a few moments, I opened the door and looked again – yep, it was still there.  I was willing the snake to go away.

When I looked again, shortly afterwards, the snake was gone.  But instead of that being a relief, I was left wondering where it was?  I kept the dogs inside for a while, and also observed them for any possible symptoms, not knowing if they may have been bitten before I had seen the snake.

The pets were not displaying any symptoms, and the snake had not reappeared.

Definitely Gratitude for our safety with the snake encounter. 

Although I live on a rural property, this is the first time I have seen and experienced a snake near the house.  Snakes may have been around, but I haven’t seen them, so it is also a good reminder to be a little cautious.  And despite this little adrenalin-rush-causing episode, the wonderful environment and lifestyle on rural acreage is definitely deserving of lots of Gratitude.

In Gratitude,

Julie

A must see video, is this clip of loving hugs after a one year separation, as special friends are reunited:

Time at the beach can be quite therapeutic.  I was fortunate to grow up with a backyard that accessed to a beach in a small cove.  Definitely more gratitude there.  The beach was my childhood playground.  It could have different moods, and even in wild weather, it was a fun playground.

The beach can also be a great place to have some “time out”, and to “meditate”.

Today it was a pleasant backdrop to a casual lunch, and a quite relaxing interlude to the day. 

I give Gratitude for the opportunity to visit and enjoy the local beaches.

In Gratitude.