Another train trip to the city and this is me: 🤗😄

Not exactly one’s usual reaction to a late Saturday afternoon, public transport, hour long trip, but if I’m being perfectly honest, I’ve missed the train rides. My old job meant i traveled to the city and back two or three times a week. Since changing jobs, I now drive and I’ve missed the ghastly purple vinyl seats, the quiet carriage quiet and the camaraderie of the fellow travellers (although, on Sydney’s mountains line at this time of day it’s more than likely people I don’t have much connection to: rascly young people). Oh, and there is extra excitement as it is the train, sans offspring. Its actual no-one-talking-to-me-or-touching-me bliss.

I’m on my way to meet a couple of girlfriends at a swans match, plus then I’ll be staying at my sister’s place so I don’t have the bugger of a late night trip all the way home. I managed to remember my noise canceling headphones, and thus I’m able to listen to my preferred, non-wiggles style music; and loudly:

Now, I’m off to enjoy my happy space:

Xx

Ps. GO SWANNIES 🔴⚪🔴

Filter Coffee has changed my life.

How’s that statement for a little hyperbole? Let’s be honest though, I’m not exactly known for my understated reactions. I LOVE everything, or anything positive WELL AND TRULY CHANGED MY LIFE!!!

This morning as I walked into one of my few local haunts (oh how life has changed. The local haunt is no longer the pub), I didn’t even need to order my coffee: The barista just knew my order. It’s not that I’m at this place everyday, but he shared with me that he “remembers all of his Filter drinkers”. Previously I was a snobby Flat White or Piccolo drinker – always analysing the texture of the milk and savouring the rather full feeling a Large Flatty would impart. But, something changed and I started drinking black coffee. Long Blacks were the way, and I quite enjoyed knocking back one or two, but I never really found the same satisfaction at the end of a good cup.

Enter Grimace and his love of Filter coffee. What an influence on me he can be. Now, don’t let the stereotype of bad (American) filter coffee cloud your judgement… If you don’t mind drinking your coffee sans milk, and you have access to a barista who knows what they’re doing with decent beans, then I’d highly recommend giving it a go. It definitely helps having a barista who is an Aeropress champion, but not necessary – I even manage to punch out a decent cup, on an aeropress, using the right beans.

I’m far from an expert on the matter, not really knowing or understanding at all why the taste is so good – but, it is and it has always reminded me of a good wine or Gin: The flavours smoothly cross over the palette, finishing with a lovely desire for more.

And while there is nothing like a good mug-o-joe to sit and savour the flavour, it is also an apt time to sit and acknowledge the simple ritual of coffee. I love any chance to reflect on life and so this morning I sat down for some good old introspection. After a double school and daycare drop off, I was in desparate need of some down time. It was in this downtime that I was able to identify what has changed for me in quite a small timeframe – I’m no longer in the popular flat white crowd; I’m a memorable filter drinker. I don’t takeaway coffee as often as I used to – I’d rather sit for a pause in my day, and let the ritual play out. I’ve also found I’m no longer as reliant on coffee to get my day going – sure, it helps that the kids are a little older these days.

There have been a few big things that have changed in my life recently, things that I anticipated, things that I certainly didn’t – learning how to run and the realisation of goal setting, the loss of my mother in law and a new job being far closer to home, all encompassed by an ever-changing family dynamic with the little people discovering more and more. But, the one thing that I savour the most, is that lovely abundance of smooth flavour in the ritual of drinking my filter coffee 🙂

Getting time away from daily life functions seems to get difficult as the years pass. Either the kids have something planned or there is a birthday party or another function you don’t want to miss, or perhaps more painfully, there is just that time around home that must be spent before it gets too hard if you miss spending the time to do all those boring, yet to essential chores. It seems recently though, I’ve not had a problem with missing said boring, yet essential chores.

Getting away with Grimace nearly a month ago to celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss, followed by a family adventure down to Country Victoria and now I find myself away on a weekend trip to Berry (NSW) with my besties from uni days.

I’ve found it wonderful to rediscover, or be reminded of the liberation trips can bring (particularly the type that is sans children), and the importance of stopping to reflect on the time out you’ve given yourself. I quite often give my kids a time in; you know, when they’ve acted in a way that is less than ideal. And the theory is essentially the same… time to reconnect and to calm down/address the inner turmoil. The time -in approach relies on the human contact and closeness, where as this time out approach relies heavily on the distance. Distance from housework, distance from the day -to-day planning and distance from my loved ones to reinvigorate my inner self.

Having gone for a walk this morning amongst the stunning scenery of Berry, I’m now enjoying a quiet coffee before heading out for a very civilised lunch.

I’m hoping my little foray into self indulgence will inspire freshness within and a reconnection with myself in order to be the Moody Mumma/ individual that recreates satisfaction.

Xx