With temperatures reaching 39 degrees Celsius today, the best option was to ride it out underwater and wait for the southerly buster to come through this afternoon.

I remember when my children were toddlers and I was always trying to find ways to exhaust them so they would have a long nap and I could sit down with a hot cup of tea. I think it must be the same for dog owners. The owner of two young staffies in the park this morning still had a long way to go before they exhausted all their boundless energy.

A combination of the raucous early morning birds outside my window and my husband being a keen surfer, I managed to get this photo before 6am. Have you found that it does make you feel a little pious if you are up and about at that time? You certainly fit a lot more into your day.

Summer afternoons + garden hose + backyard + kids = endless hours of fun. No need for the compulsory Sunday evening bath tonight for our English neighbours.

This guy busting a few yoga moves while surfing out on Dee Why Point this morning.

Date night. Summer. Manly Wharf. Life’s good.

Photo credit to my husband with the iPhone panorama.

Delightful to catch up for lunch with a girlfriend I had not seen for a few years because we have both been living in different countries. She has always been articulate, witty and has such a positive outlook on life.

Now she is absolutely smitten. That crazy, want to kiss you all over, eat you all up, mother love. So intense and beautiful to witness. As a mother of 2 month old twin girls, there is a lot of love going down in the house.

Think I will need to keep visiting because I must admit to becoming a little smitten myself.

Third day of torrential rain and flooding …. nothing for it but to go and get wet.

With a second day of continual rain, there is not much incentive to head outdoors. My children have loved being housebound, resorting to making (and quickly consuming) cupcakes before breakfast.

My niece has all her old ballet shoes hanging in her bedroom. Quite a collection for an 11 year old. She was fitted for her first pointe shoes yesterday and is spending the week dancing at the Australia Ballet Summer School … very proud of her and her commitment.

A glorious way to start the new year …. adrift. Very fortunate to have family up on Lake Macquarie, so we are having a few days out on the boat and enjoying the sunshine and water. May your new year be filled with love, laughter and happiness … and moments of inspiration and opportunity for some cracking photos.