I have turned a whole pumpkin into a bulk meal for the last time in 2025. It was 29° today, and basically the equinox of my seasonal diet. After months straight of cereal and yoghurt for breakfast I cranked out a delicious mango and banana smoothie that tasted great. It also took a lot longer to consume, meaning I didn't get Nash out for her walk until 9:30. At that point the sun had been up long enough that all the flowers were open and there was a slope of different coloured petals under the nicest of blue skies and I thought to myself, fuck yeah. Look at those flowers.

One pelican encounter later I was back home making a hot coffee. Then one of my lunchtime meetings was cancelled, meaning I had 45 minutes to devour my first giant chicken salad of the season. This summer I've decided I will eat salads with high protein feta. Then that afternoon I had an ice coffee.

Dinner was a very hearty, pumpkin based pasta with terrible pumpkin muffins as an entree. It took me two hours to prep and cook, but I still made it to the beach right before the sun hit the horizon. The colours were mint. I wore only a shirt and shorts. I thought to myself again, fuck yeah.

Henley Beach for Ice-Cream

Park Run (walk), cafes, swimming, sausages.

Onkaparinga Gorge, Somerton, Grange

Bakery, Family, Friends, Reading.

Yes, it was another perfect long weekend of hiking and beach walks, catch ups and coffee, back roads and BBQs...

...Partially ruined by Big Box Hardware and home ownership.

At least the front lawn looks less weedy now.

It was a great weekend. The exact days that winter feels officially over, even though I'm sure there will be cold and rain again soon. Despite the many sights and sun, I didn't take any photos. So I'll recap it with words.

Friday night, date night with Vanessa, Lebanese food in North Adelaide. Mixed grill. Hot chips. A lot of salt and garlic. Very tasty.

Saturday morning I needed a haircut so after dropping Vanessa in town for an appointment I parked at my old barber and then walked back through Croydon to see how the flowers were going on my old walking streets. Okay actually I was going to see if one of my favourite jasmine vines was in bloom yet. There were some blossoms, but not enough warm breeze to carry the pollen to me. I got a coffee on Queen Street and then walked back for a haircut. In the mood for supporting more local businesses so I bought some sausages from a butcher and rolls from the baker - these would feature in lunch and dinner later in the day.

Around sunset we walked on the beach with bare feet before returning home for a BBQ. I slept with only one doona.

This morning the sun was shining and glimmering off puddles from overnight rain. We walked Nash to her new bakery and fed her a weekly treat of sausage roll before returning home under sun-showers.

After washing Nash, we drove north for a father's day lunch and a lot of sunshine coming through the windscreen.

Once back home, I walked around the lake as a huge moon rose into the lavender sky. Then I cooked another BBQ.

Yesterday felt like the first day of Spring, and today felt like the first day of summer.

Mother came over this morning for a Nash walk and cup of tea. On these walks she likes to point out plants and identify them and their current state of growth.

There was a photo I didn't take today. At one point on the walk, Nash and mother's focus was simultaneously invested in studying a plant just off the footpath. For different reasons.

Later in the day I bought a chainsaw - that's a coincidence.

In My Ridleyton Era.
In my covid era.
In my mulberry tree era.
My cycling era. My air-fryer era.
My upper limb surgery era.
My no mortgage lifestyle era.
My friends all having kids era.
My fresh baguette from the shops that morning era.
My savvy and not so savvy investing era.
In my meat puffs era. My New Holland Honeyeater era.
My watching Nash grow old era.
My integration architecture era.
In my working and working out from home era.
My local cafe knows me and my dog's order era.
In my noticing how bad the cold is in winter era.
In my driving twenty minutes to the beach nearly every second summer evening era.
Out of my Ridleyton era.

I feel like, in Nash's head, she is on an eleven year winning streak. Until tonight. This is what happens when the Dentastix slides underneath the couch as you leave the house.

She did not get it out.

A collection of cameraphone photos from Summer 24-25.

A little strawberry left over from spring.

Blooming agapanthus on a morning stroll through North Adelaide.

Golden Hour at the beach.

Red hot chilies for a red hot summer day.

Up before the sun on another hot morning.

Nash doing her best Jaws impression with one of her takeaway sausage rolls during the Christmas bakery shut down.

Road trip wind turbines.

Family moments near mountains.

Victorian high country.

Not rain, sprinklers.

Up early for cheap fruit and vegetables.

Another day drifting closer to the sun.

Nash enjoys sunbaking.

Frangipani

Sand snail eggs reflecting the hot sun's fading light.

A joyous moment on a cafe visit before work and heat.

Onwards into her twelfth year, Nash had a great today.

Starting with getting pats from strangers on the way to the cafe, she then slept from 9 to 5, before an evening walk along a very dry river with Vanessa and mother. Also featuring many servings of chicken, and four turds.

Now well past retirement age, Nash is still yet to be introduced to adult concepts like house repairs, finances, insurance and cleaning.

She has been a jerk many times, but always forgiven.