Share your World 28/03/23

Thank you Di from Pensitivity101 for your questions this week!

1. Do you have a lot of friends or do you know a lot of people ?

I would say YES to both of these. I have a lot of friends and I certainly know a lot of people. I have noticed that with growing older, my friend numbers have declined over time. Simply as people move on, have their own families, relocate etc, etc. and you simply drift away from each other. For friendship longevity, you all need to make an effort to be in each other’s lives. However, true friendship stands the test of time, even if you haven’t seen each other for months, when you do meet up, you just pick off from where you have left off. I love when that happens.

2. If you are at a party and know very few of the guests, do you mingle and introduce yourself, sit on the sidelines and people watch, or discreetly leave?

Yes I love to mingle and meet new people. I used to be very shy but as I have aged, my confidence has grown and I feel like I can talk to most people now with ease and I really enjoy having meaningful conversations and learning from others.

3. What is the best job you have ever had?

Working at the Grand Opera House in Belfast. I was a theatre usher for a few years and absolutely loved it. I made many life long friends from here also which was a real bonus. I loved watching the shows, seeing people enjoy the theatre and the buzz after a show had finished, with everyone being on a natural high and enjoying life.

4. Can you swim?

Yes and I love swimming. I’m not an amazing swimmer by any means but I am confident to swim and love being in water. It is such a great skill to have and pretty essential for when I was living in Australia.

Gratitude: I am grateful for having my own home now for the past two weeks. Being able to cook my own meals, wash my own clothes etc. makes me really happy and was something that I had previously taken for granted.

Wayne ✌🏽

March 28, 2023 7

Tuesday thoughts – DIY

Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

To be honest I am not the best at DIY projects, nor do I enjoy them. My most ambitious project was probably having to build our bed in Australia from IKEA when we moved into our first apartment.

Even with instructions, it will take me more than the average amount of time and patience but I will arrive at the finished project eventually. IKEA furniture is typically straightforward to assemble and requires very few tools, yet it still will be an unwelcoming challenge for me.

I did, however, manage to build the bed with the help of my husband. On my own, I fear that building the bed might have taken me many weeks to put together! Nevertheless, we succeeded not only once but on three different occasions as we had to mantle and dismantle the bed on a few occasions when moving homes.

Thankfully, it does become easier the more times you put the bed together, although never any more enjoyable. I’m sad to say this is my most ambitious project to date. Who knows what future DIY projects await in the future. I dread to think…

Wayne ✌🏽

February 28, 2023 2

Tuesday Thoughts – Silent

This is a very appropriate word prompt for me this week, thank you WordPress 🙏🏼

I may be quite silent on my blog for the next week as my sister is getting married this weekend. Lots of family time upcoming and I am here for it all. I am super excited for the reunions and festivities, whilst also beaming with pride for my little sister.

There may be silence on my blog for a few days but definitely not much silence in my real life. Enjoy your week guys and gals and I will pop on when I can.

Wayne ✌🏽

September 6, 2022 14

Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park

A map at the entrance of this amazing park.

This park is located in South Belfast and is a good walk from where I am staying at the moment. I have been here a couple of times and have always known it was famous for its many flowers and in particular its rose gardens. However, this was the first time I actually followed the map and purposefully looked for the attractions listed, such as the walled garden and Japanese garden. I also was not aware that there is a cafe here too, that was a welcome bonus. I will leave the official link for this park here so you can read a little history about this place and how it ended up being available to the public. https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/parks-and-open-spaces/a-z-parks/sir-thomas-and-lady-dixon-park

This park is great for walking around and taking in all its beauty, made even better with blue skies.

We loved the Stables coffee shop and it was so lovely to be able to sit outside.

This park is famous for its flowers, especially roses. The first image is from the walled garden.
This is a very tranquil and serene space and I encourage everyone to visit if travelling in Northern Ireland.

I hope you enjoy reading about this wonderful park and please let me know if you have ever visited yourself.

Wayne ✌🏽

August 30, 2022 13

Rotorua 🌋

This was the perfect spot for us to stop and rest during our drive from Wellington to Auckland. As well as being a great location to stop, we had really wanted to visit here for a couple of reasons.

This area was created thousands of years ago by volcanic activity and sits at the southern end of Lake Rotorua, also formed from a volcanic explosion. Although the volcano hasn’t erupted since, there remains a lot of geothermal occurrences daily, which in turn creates geysers, hot springs and hot mud pools.

We really wanted to try the hot springs as well as seeing and learning about the traditional Māori people. In Rotorua you can find a living Māori village, there the people have been living for more than 700 years. You can have a tour of the village and witness how the people live.

Rotorua itself is a quaint little town with plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars. You will see many Māori people here which is really lovely to see. Another thing to note with this place is that it has a strong sulphur smell (think eggs) from the geysers which can be quite overwhelming if you’re not used to it but I’m so glad we were able to experience it.

POLYNESIAN SPA
GEOTHERMAL HOT SPRINGS
AND THERAPIES – Absolutely stunning private pools with stunning views. After our own time here we were able to enjoy a fresh juice and head to the public pools. These were still quite exclusive so not too many people allowed in at one time which was great. There are a few different pools you can try with varying temperatures. Personally, I loved the 40 degree Celsius pool, the warmer the better for me 🥵.

Such an amazing place and we thanked the tour guide for an awesome opportunity to see how the Māori people continue to live to this day and aim to keep their traditions alive in the 21st century.

I hope you enjoyed a little insight to Rotorua. This is a definite pit stop if ever travelling from Wellington to Auckland. We made one more stop on our way to Auckland, can any of you guess where it was? I am really excited to show you all later this week.

Take care and thanks for your continued support.

Wayne ✌🏽

August 8, 2022 15

QUEENSTOWN

When you say to people you are travelling to New Zealand, they will pretty much always ask “Are you going to Queenstown?”. I didn’t really understand why but now that I have travelled there, I totally get it. This place was the highlight of NZ for us. The scenery is just out of this world and made even more special as we were here in winter. The snow peaked mountains were absolutely stunning and you just can’t quite take it all in.

As soon as you arrive at the airport you will be blown away by the epic scenery and become lost in the magic of Queenstown.

We caught the number one bus from the airport into Queenstown which takes about 10 – 15 minutes. It’s a very easy ride and luckily for us it stopped just before the town at our hotel, The Ramada. We loved our stay here, great proximity to the town, beautiful scenery all around, very friendly staff, lovely hotel and the breakfast was open until 11.30 and you simply pay for what you order (this was a real novelty for us as you usually pay a hefty amount for a buffet breakfast and they often close early in other places I have been).

For us, Queenstown was all about the scenery and using it as a base to see other places close by. We took the number two bus to the quaint little Arrowtown. We also took a coach trip to Milford Sound. I will post a little blog about these two places after this but these were the two places we most wanted to see. The scenery itself in Queenstown is beautiful and it’s really lovely just taking a stroll through the town and having a look at all the shops, restaurants and bars. There is a lovely walkway that passed the back of our hotel to the town that takes you along the side of Lake Wakatipu. It was beautiful and can also take you to the town via Queenstown Gardens.

Views from the back of the Ramada. We took the walk into the town. It takes about 30 minutes and the views are out of this world.

A few people have been asking about food recommendations so I thought I would run through a quick list for you :

⁃ Joe’s Garage – perfect for breakfast

⁃ Stratosfare – this is the restaurant on top of the huge mountain. Take the gondola up to the top for spectacular views of Queenstown. It’s a buffet dinner with plenty to choose from.

Taking the gondola 🚠. Stunning views to and from the restaurant.

⁃ Surreal Bar & Restaurant – nice pub grub and home cooking. All the staff appeared to be Irish too 😊.

⁃ Flame (need to book) – we actually couldn’t go here as it was fully booked. My advice would be to book ahead ( for most restaurants actually, as they get pretty busy and there are very few staff here at the moment due to the pandemic).

⁃ Bombay Palace – perfect little spot for some Indian food. We loved it.

⁃ Boardwalk – PIER Restaurant – this is just at the pier (funny enough). Beautiful views to watch the world go by and they have heat lamps for dining al fresco.

⁃ Paddy Gaddy – Southeast Asian – the food here was stunning. It’s an Asian fusion type restaurant with a real vibe.

⁃ Margos Mexican – another one you would need to book. This looked awesome but there was no space the night that we tried. Definitely looks worth a visit if you like Mexican food.

– The Pig and Whistle – we loved this place for drinks, either sitting inside or out.

– The Speight’s Ale House – lovely quaint little pub with the best toasty fire.

That’s my lot for Queenstown. Such an amazing place that you have to see for yourself. We only had 4 days here but that was actually perfect for us as we weren’t skiing or participating in any winter sports (not our cup of tea). Should that be your thing, you will love this place even more!

Thanks for reading and I will have a couple of blog posts for Arrowtown and Milford Sound coming.

Wayne ✌🏽

August 2, 2022 15

Tuesday thoughts 💭 – Travel time

Today is the day! We head on our travels before heading home. I will finally have some travel experiences to share again. As a travel blogger primarily, this makes me very happy.

We will be heading to New Zealand today all being well, first stop Christchurch. I say all being well as you just don’t know what is around the corner, especially in these covid times. Even before entering NZ there is so much documentation needed, for example, obtaining a travel pass, an electronic travel authority, your covid vaccination dates and proof of the vaccines. Thankfully, no covid swabs or rapid antigen tests are needed.

I hope to keep you updated throughout the trip and I will be keen to read other blogs when in the air or on the road.

Have a great day everyone and see you in New Zealand.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 19, 2022 14

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 Share your World 5/7/22

Another set of great questions from our Melanie 😊

What do you think it means to be healthy?

Healthy is looking after ourselves and trying our best to maintain our health. I’m sure most of us know what we have to do to be healthy, ie. having a healthy diet, exercising, reduce alcohol consumption, no smoking etc. etc. I know it’s not always easy to do these things. Life can often get in the way and there are also additional factors at play, for example, our environmental, social, mental, emotional and physical elements that can limit or affect our lifestyle choices. We just have to do the best we can. Your health is your wealth. I appreciate this more than ever since becoming a nurse.

Is being obsessive about someone or something a good thing?

Personally, I don’t think it’s a good thing. Yes it’s great to be focused and determined but it can be a fine line between that and becoming obsessive. I have seen this with training at the gym and people becoming so fixated on results, what they eat etc. to the point of being unhealthy, both mentally and physically.

Being obsessive with a person can really affect your mental health and you may make poor decisions as a result. It is also not good for the person being obsessed over.

After a disagreement with your significant other, do you initiate the makeup conversation or wait for your signature other to do it?

Thankfully I can disagree with my partner about anything and it never results in an argument. Therefore, we never have to have a makeup conversation. I’m very lucky that we’re both pretty relaxed and carefree.

Have you ever done something incredibly embarrassing in front of a huge crowd?

I remember being a teenager in high school. We were practicing the high jump and instead of jumping gracefully over the pole, I jumped straight into the right stand holding the pole up. It was extremely embarrassing and actually quite painful. I had to limp away with my tail between my legs. Not my finest hour and needless to say, I didn’t become a high jump professional 🙈.

What’s your sweetest memory from childhood?

Helping to look after my baby sisters.

Why can’t I get a tan like this anymore?! 🤣

Thanks for reading and have a great week everyone!

Wayne ✌🏽

July 4, 2022 12

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share Your World 28-06-22

Melanie’s questions from her Share Your World this week are:

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Most of you probably know this by now 🤣 but I love going to the gym, going out for a coffee and walking. Lots and lots of walking. Maybe about 20,000 steps along a coastal route would be perfect for me.

Now that Covid isn’t so strictly monitored and folks can go out and about again, are you into after-work happy hours?

Not really to be honest. As I’m a nurse, I don’t really have the time to attend happy hours. If I am free in the afternoon, I usually head to the gym. I don’t really drink during the week and they don’t seem to have happy hours at the weekends much. Don’t get me wrong, I love happy hours but they just don’t fit into my daily schedule.

What physical traits do you share with your relatives?

Wrinkles. The ONE physical feature I have from my Dad’s side is wrinkles on my face and lots of them around my eyes. Sad but true 😜 but at least I have my hair on my head.

How long does it take you to decide if you like someone or not?

I normally make my mind up pretty quickly and I like to feel I’m a good judge of character. I like most people thankfully 😅.

GRATITUDE SECTION

Feel free to share some wisdom you live by.

Try to make the most of every day. Life is too short and you never know what is around the corner so go out and enjoy the little things in life and appreciate everything that’s good in your life 😊.

Thanks for reading and thank you Melanie for some more great questions.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 27, 2022 8

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – MAVERICK

We’re just back from the cinema having watched the new Top Gun: Maverick movie. Has anyone else seen it yet?

If you love the first movie from 1986, then you are sure to love this one. I don’t want to give away the story but it follows on nicely from the first movie and has all the characteristics that you would expect from a Top Gun sequel. It has plenty of action with its signature fighter jets, just enough cheese (although not too cheesy), lots of nods to the original story and its characters, a buff looking cast (with its own beach scene), a little romance (not sure if this was needed to be fair) and a great soundtrack. If you love flying, I’m sure this will be right up your street and if you’re like me, who hasn’t a clue about aviation, you will still appreciate the flying scenes for the wonder they are. Especially as Tom Cruise and other cast members performed their own stunts. Also, for the record, Tom looks amazing, considering he is 59 years old. Time has been kind to him 😊.

The jet scenes kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and you really don’t know just how the story is going to go, will they, won’t they. The movie provided some really gripping scenes and I loved how the action scenes were equally matched with emotional ones that could make even those with the stoniest of hearts get a lump in their throat.

The little bit of cheese was spot on in my opinion. The original was a little cheesy too and I think that’s why I loved it so much. In a world that’s so serious at the moment, it was so refreshing to become lost in a movie that was light hearted, warm and makes you feel good.

Let me know if you have seen it yet, what you thought of the movie or if you are planning to see. This is certainly a movie for the big screen!

Wayne ✌🏽

June 21, 2022 16

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share your World 31/05/22

First of all, was anyone a little excited when they awoke to find the WordPress app looking a lot different?! The black background with the rainbow W really jumped out at me and jolted me from my groggy state. I was curious to see what it was all about. When opening the app, the screen said there was a new block editor feature. Ok, yes that’s great but why the dramatic change in appearance? I mean, I like it, a lot but what does it mean?? Is it temporary? I can’t see anything on Google so if you hear or see anything be sure to let me know 😊

Melanie’s questions this week from her Share your World segment are as follows:

Has anyone ever tried to scam you?

Not recently but when I was 16 years old I had a customer tried to scam me on more than one occasion. I was working my first job at a supermarket and I loved it. I worked on the checkouts putting through people’s groceries. One day, a woman gave me a fake £20 bank note. I didn’t realise and I was pulled into the manager’s office and reprimanded. The second time it happened again. The same lady came to me and this time I suspected the note looked dodgy but I freaked out and accepted it. I was so worried about getting in trouble that I replaced the fake note with one of mine (£20 was a lot of money for a 16 year old). It happened to me a third time and I had no idea this time, how could I have been so stupid and not realised AGAIN?! I was in so much trouble with my manager that I was so scared to go back to work on the checkouts. I had some training in identifying fake notes but I had lost all confidence at this stage and just didn’t want to let anyone down again. The fourth time 🙈! I knew who the woman was and my managers put me to the test. I was used as bait. When the woman came to my checkout and handed me the fake note, I knew this time. I nodded to my manager and she was questioned by them and the police. I felt bad for her that she maybe had to use fake notes but at the same time, I was angry that she kept picking me as she obviously thought I was an easy target. However, little did she know that I nearly lost my first job and I was traumatised from that experience in future retail jobs. I did learn a valuable lesson though. I certainly knew how to spot fake notes and I had the confidence to speak up about it. Luckily for me and future companies 😉, it never happened again.

What’s the best thing about parties?

Meeting new people. I love talking to others and having interesting conversations.

Do you listen to people’s advice if you didn’t ask for it?

Yes I do if it’s valid and it comes from good place.

Why is it impossible to spell funeral without fun?

Good question. Maybe funerals are meant to be fun, I mean as a way of celebration for the person’s life or maybe it’s just a coincidence as it comes from the Latin word funus (which still has fun in it!).

GRATITUDE SECTION

How was last week for you?

I had a very busy 6 day working week. I just kept my head down and got on with it but it was all good. I can’t complain 😊.

Thanks for reading everyone. Take care,

Wayne ✌🏽

May 30, 2022 8

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share your World 24/5/22

Melanie’s questions from her Share your World this week are:

If You Could Be Best Friends With A Celebrity, Who Would It Be?

I would have to choose Chris Hemsworth or Zac Efron, simply so they could help me with my gym training 😜.

What is, or should be, the main purpose of law?

To keep everyone safe and to have order in the world.

Do You Care About Reviews?

Yes I do to a certain extent. I often look at reviews for hotels or a product before I purchase. However, it’s good to go with a majority vote as some reviews can be over the top. Especially with hotel reviews, some people complain about the silliest things 🙊.

Is the ‘mind’ different to the ‘brain’? If so, in what ways?

I would say yes. They are interchangeable, however, for me, the brain is the biological aspect whereas, the mind is the psychological aspect. They depend on each other to coexist (if that makes sense).

GRATITUDE SECTION

Overall how sunny is your nature?

I’m a pretty happy and upbeat person I think. I like to make others feel happy too 😊

Have a great Tuesday guys!

Wayne ✌🏽

May 24, 2022 12

Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge ⛺️

Thanks to Dan at No Facilities, this is the Second Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. There is a selection of doors on offer and we have to pick one to write about. This door stood out for me.

Image Teepee Route 66 October
2016 Copyright © 2016 Deborah
M. Zajac ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED

My initial thought process was – oh wow, what an amazing looking Teepee…oh the teepee has a door…oh I love the door actually…ok it’s not often you see a teepee with a door like that…to my main questions of thought, does this door simply take you through to the other side of the road or does this door take you to another world?

I am thinking you can only travel to another world if you believe the door to take you there. If you do not believe, you will simply walk through and see the other side of the road.

Or maybe the other side of the door is in fact just the road but if you had believed it would take you to another world, then maybe in fact, you are in another world. Even metaphorically speaking, you are in a better world, as you believe it to be so. You have the ability to place your past behind you and move forward with your life into your new world.

What do you think lies behind the door? A secret garden? Narnia? Or maybe a more positive and brave YOU, as you have taken a leap of faith through a door to an unknown destination.

Who knows?! Ok, I’m guessing the owner of this photo will know…

A Better World – short story

Alice began to walk tentatively towards the door. She was thinking, “This is crazy. How can walking through this door make me feel better, I know it leads to the other side of the road!”. As she reached the door, she placed her hand on the door handle, took a deep breath in and said to herself “I am letting go of my fears and insecurities, I am Alice and I can overcome anything!”.

As she pulled the handle down, she gave the door a gentle nudge. Nothing happened. Alice had to give the door a decent push, it was almost like someone was putting their weight against it. With all her might, she managed to open the door without falling through it. A huge gust of wind smacked her in the face, knocking over her beehive weave.

What was on the other side? Nothing. It was the same road. “Ok, I expected this” thought Alice. However, to Alice’s surprise, although everything appeared the same, it somehow became brighter and clearer. She instantly felt better in herself and her mood had lifted. “If only I had taken these steps sooner” she thought.

Alice knew she was a different person than before walking through the door. She had left the negative thoughts in the past and could now focus on her future. “Ok”, said Alice aloud, “You are a magic door inside a teepee!!!”.

Wayne ✌🏽

Ps. Thank you Deborah for the amazing picture!

May 23, 2022 11

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Mother Teresa

There is a new documentary called Mother Teresa – For the Love of God? Has anyone else watched this? We have it here in Australia on Stan (an Aussie streaming service). I will share my thoughts on the programme and hopefully you can comment if you have also seen it or plan to watch in the near future.

Personally I didn’t know all that much about Mother Teresa. I remember her dying in 1997 when I was 14 years old. I remember it being significant as she passed not that long after Princess Diana and that had made a big impact on my memory. So when Mother Teresa died, I recall people feeling extra sad. I knew she was a good woman who helped the sick and poor and she was a very spiritual person. So when I spotted a new documentary about her life, I thought it could be interesting, especially as the title states, For the Love of God? The question mark made me think, are we to question that her life was or wasn’t for the love of God? Or was the help she provided for the love of God? I wasn’t sure but I was intrigued.

I don’t want to spoil the documentary for anyone so I will just make some vague points but personally, I found it to be very interesting. It begins with telling you the history of Mother Teresa, that she was born in Macedonia and how/why she ended up in Calcutta, India. It shows how she helped the poor, sick and most vulnerable members of society and how her legacy grew. Many women joined her to become nuns and assist with her quest to look after the most downtrodden. There are a lot of positives shown about Mother Teresa and the amazing work carried out by her and her team, for example, giving temporary homes to those who had been orphaned.

However, interestingly, it does show aspects of her work from another point of view. The documentary shows how she became so well known and adored by millions. The Catholic Church embraced Mother Teresa and often utilised her to create a positive image for the church (specifically to cover up the issue with Priests and sexual abuse). She also gained A LOT of money that was given to the church. The controversy being that much of the money was given to the church and not necessarily to those people that needed it the most. The money was not used to treat the sick and dying. Medical professionals who had worked with Mother Teresa initially, were horrified at the lack of proper treatment and facilities and ended up leaving to work elsewhere. Mother Teresa was about bringing the word of God to people whilst they were coming to the end of their lives and providing them with a place to stay, rather than helping them medically or offering any pain relief from their suffering. I think in the eyes of Mother Teresa, pain was seen almost as a necessity when dying, like Jesus was in pain when he died on the cross. This part did make me feel uncomfortable, although I was not that surprised that she was used by the church for financial and popular gain, sadly.

Having watched the documentary, I still believe Mother Teresa to be an amazing woman, who gave up her life to devote herself to God and look after those in need. However, I do think it is sad that much of the money acquired through charity and donations, never reached those who really needed it and very tragic that the church had used her kindness and time to their own advantage.

What are your thoughts if you have watched it? Would this blog post make you want to watch it? I believe Mother Teresa’s life was for the Love of God and I believe her help was for the Love of God. I just think maybe more could have been done to treat the sick and offer them pain relief. Also saddened that she became so popular and maybe lost track of her initial mission, with a focus more on the church rather than the people. However, it’s easy for me to say that sitting at home. I wasn’t there to know the facts and I’m sure we are not seeing the whole picture.

I hope I do not cause any upset to anyone with writing about this documentary. It’s just one take on her story and I’m sure there are many other points of view. However, I did really find the show interesting and gripping, albeit rather sad.

Take care and thanks for reading my Tuesday thoughts.

Wayne ✌🏽

May 17, 2022 10

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share your World

Hooray for Melanie’s questions making a return for her Share the World blog post. I love these random questions as a way of learning more about others and sharing a little more about myself. Melanie has posted the following questions and you can read my answers below 👇🏼.

1 – What two totally normal things become really weird if you do them back to back?

I would say brushing your teeth and then having a coffee. I’m sure the coffee would taste really minty. I always wait a good half an hour after brushing my teeth before I have coffee.

2 – What is something that you just recently realized that you are embarrassed by, that you didn’t realize embarrassed you?

I haven’t really been embarrassed by anything for a long time thankfully. I do tend to be embarrassed if people I know speak very loudly, especially on public transport and normally regarding a private matter. I guess I find it strange that people can hear you airing your dirty laundry (so to speak).

3 – If Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Germany, the USA, Brazil and Italy were represented by one food, which would it be for each?

Australia – Lemingtons

NZ – kiwi fruit (may not be the case but it makes me think of NZ 🤣).

UK – bangers and mash

Ireland – Shepherd’s Pie

Germany – Curry Wurst

USA – burgers or anything deep fried

Brazil – Brazil nuts (may also not be from Brazil)

Italy – Pasta

4 – What might happen if Goldilocks and the Three Bears were set in modern times?

I think the bears would eat Goldilocks.

5 – Where was the most most embarrassing or inappropriate place you’ve passed audible gas?

In the gym! Thankfully only one other person heard but I was mortified.

Thanks Melanie and thanks for reading everyone. Feel free to answer also in the comments section 🙂.

Wayne ✌🏽

May 10, 2022 6

Tuesday thoughts 💭 – Anniversary

Today my husband and I celebrate five years of marriage. After ten years together, it was time to put a ring on it and make it official. We had a civil partnership in Northern Ireland as it was still illegal for people of the same sex to be married then. Thankfully, it was made legal in 2020.

For us, marriage was about strengthening our commitment to each other, showing our love for each other to the world, providing security for each other and having that certainty that we would be seen as a couple in the eyes of the law. As we were moving to Australia, we wanted that security, for example, heaven forbid, if something happened to one of us. We also wanted to have a time of celebration with our families and friends, before we would leave Northern Ireland for a new chapter Down Under.

The best day with our nearest and dearest.

When we arrived in Australia the following month, we were surprised to discover that gay marriage was also not legal here. This was astounding as we know how gay friendly Australia is and Sydney hosts one of the biggest Mardi Gras festivals in the world.

On 9 December 2017, the right to marry in Australia was no longer based on sex or gender. This was amazing news and enabled us to be married officially. We had a small wedding service on our one year anniversary (four years ago today), just for us. We felt that we were married before but now it was official. We had a ceremony at one of our favourite beaches with an intimate collection of family and friends.

#loveislove

Wayne ✌🏽

May 3, 2022 30

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Birthday

Today I think of my partner and how it is his birthday today! Unfortunately we are both working today so we will celebrate modestly this evening. On the other hand, we were able to celebrate during the weekend just past and had a really lovely weekend together in Sydney.

I planned a secret outing on Sunday in the CBD. I wanted us to participate in an event or excursion and it just so happened that there was an Oyster masterclass happening, courtesy of Sydney Oyster Farm Tours. This was part of a larger event that was happening all weekend in the Sydney CBD to celebrate food, drink and live entertainment.

We were able to shuck our own oysters (the process of opening the oysters) and thankfully none of us managed to injure ourselves. There was a girl in front of us who nearly chopped her finger off! We learned some history and gained knowledge regarding oyster farming and we were able to eat them afterwards. We had a collection of Sydney Rock Oysters and Pacific Oysters and I’m sure we managed to eat nearly a dozen each! This was a great experience and one that we had never done before.

Oyster shucking – The Pacifics were already opened in the tray and the Rock Oysters were in the bags waiting to be opened.

We then checked into our hotel for the night. I thought it would be cool to stay in a really nice hotel with stunning Sydney views, just for one night. You have the novelty of being away from home but with the luxury of not having to travel too far. Being a tourist for the day and night was fun. We stayed in the Shangri-La and really, thoroughly enjoyed it. I would say the only negative point was that it was a long weekend, therefore, it was pretty busy and had lots of kids. It was impossible to get a window view at the bar for drinks and also for breakfast the next morning. Out of season would be better. However, the bottle of bubbles in the room for my partner’s birthday was a really lovely touch and the staff were so, so friendly. The views of Circular Quay were stunning and I’m sure if you have a Harbour Bridge view, that would also be pretty epic.

We had dinner at The Spice Room at Circular Quay. Delicious Indian food in a really quaint and authentic setting. I had been here before and loved it. Thankfully, my partner loved it too 😊. When you see many Indian and Nepalese families eating there, that’s a sure sign the food will be tasty and authentic 🇮🇳.

On the following day, it was ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), remembering the soldiers lost at war. We had a dip in the pool and checked out. We had breakfast at The Rocks which was beautiful and watched the parades honouring the service men who fought in the World Wars. I always find this day really moving and I love how people of all ages come out to remember those who lost their lives fighting for their country.

We headed home for a quick change and then out for lunch with friends at The Chiswick in Woollahra. Absolutely stunning venue and food. If you ever have the chance to visit here, do not hesitate. It’s definitely up there.

Apple crumble and ice cream or ANZAC biscuit and ice cream 😋

That was our weekend in a snapshot. I really feel like birthdays deserve to be celebrated as we only have one a year and life is so short.

How was your weekend? I apologise as it’s Tuesday but we were off work yesterday 😛.

Cheers,

Wayne ✌🏽

April 26, 2022 11

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share your World 05/04/22

Thank you Melanie once again for your questions. I will use these for my Tuesday Thoughts today 🙌🏼. I love this Share Your World blog which you can check out again here. A great idea to connect with others and answer questions that you would not normally be asked. Check out my responses below 👇🏼

Are you more productive at night or in the morning? Do you think it’s possible to change and get used to another schedule?

I am always more productive in the morning. My brain must work better or maybe because I’m refreshed from a good sleep. I am more focused in the mornings and determined to meet my goals. I think it is possible to change, however, other things in your life would need to change. Maybe going to bed later and rising later. Maybe going to the gym in the evening might provide you with more energy. Who knows. All I know is that I’m content with my morning productiveness 😆.

What’s the biggest vehicle you’ve driven? If you don’t drive, what’s the biggest vehicle you’ve ridden in?

The biggest vehicle was a Renault Scenic. Maybe not that big for some but my first car to drive was a Ford Fiesta so the Scenic seemed pretty big. I loved that feeling of sitting up high with a good view around you. My dream is to drive and stay in a camper-van one day but like one of those big motor homes from Meet the Fockers.

What songs would be played on a loop in hell?

Oh anything heavy metal or trance music. That would be painful 🙉.

How were your spirits (mood) over the past week?

Pretty good to be honest. I have a lot to look forward to this year and plans are starting to come together. Watch this space 😉.

Thanks everyone and have a good week. Enjoy your Tuesday (Monday night for some).

Wayne ✌🏽

April 4, 2022 6

Tuesday Thoughts – YOU LOOK SO FAT!!!!

You look so fat!!!! Have you put on weight?? What happened to you?

Ok so these are questions and statements that I would never ask or say to anyone and hope that no one else would (unless seriously worried about a loved one’s health).

Yet, I receive the opposite of these questions and statements on a VERY regular basis. You look so skinny! Have you lost weight? Are you eating enough? What is happening with you?

Granted I have always been skinny and always received these questions for as long as I can remember. However, I have had three different people ask me this in the past two days! When does it end? As a skinny man, it has always been my goal to put on weight, possibly for this reason. I’ve only really been working on my weight gain for the past five years and I want to do this in the best way possible and in a healthy manner.

I train at the gym which I absolutely love and yes I have put on a good amount of weight when I increased my calorie intake by 1000 calories. However, I noticed that my body fat was also increasing. Therefore, my new goal is to put on weight that is muscle mass and not body fat. I want to train well and eat a healthy diet. This takes a lot of time and effort, there is no quick fix. This is fine for me, I’m in no rush. However, the constant questioning and statements about weight is both tiresome and saddening. Now, I know this is not intentional. These are lovely people saying this and they would be horrified to know if I was offended. However, I am honestly surprised that I don’t have more of a complex about this. I guess I’m a tough cookie, quite resilient and do not let comments bother me too much.

Just another side note – unfortunately this is not people saying I’m skinny in a good way. For example, they could say, you’re looking slim or you look very toned…instead of saying skinny with that look of worry and disbelief in their eyes. Another point to note is, my weight very rarely changes on a daily basis. Therefore, I think people must forget how slim I am and when they do see me after a few weeks, they have forgotten and assume I have lost weight or I am not eating enough. People who know me well, know that I am always hungry and always eating. I love my food and am extremely grateful that I don’t need to worry about putting on much weight. Good genes I guess 😜.

Anyway, thanks for reading. That is my rant over. What are your thoughts on people’s own weight? Would you comment on someone’s weight? I don’t think people realise that being called skinny is just as bad as calling someone fat, which I personally would not do. Therefore, it really baffles me 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Don’t get me wrong, I am more than happy with my progress. Even if I will always be “**skinny**” 😆

Many thanks to you all,

Wayne ✌🏽

March 28, 2022 17

Tuesday Thoughts 💭 – Share your World 22/03/22

For today’s post I want to reply to Melanie’s post which you can find here on SHARE YOUR WORLD. I love the idea of sharing our thoughts. Ps. I just missed my spot to hop off the train by about three stops. The joys of being engrossed in the blogosphere 😬.

What very common thing have you never done?

I have never been married to the opposite sex.

Are we morally obligated to be charitable, if we have the means to?

This is a really tough question. I don’t think we are morally obligated but it is the right thing to do. We should want to help others as decent human beings. I feel morally obligated to help Ukraine but feel so helpless as a single entity to do anything significant.

What is the most amazing fact you know?

That the sun will rise again tomorrow.

What’s your favorite sandwich and why?

Chicken and cheese all the way!

Something that inspires me…

The youth of today inspire me, especially their stance on global warming and wanting to improve the world we live in.

Thanks for taking the time to read my Tuesday Thoughts and thanks to Melanie for the inspiration.

By the way, I actually can’t believe this but I have just missed my train spot again on the return train!!!!! No more blogging for me this morning 🤦🏼‍♂️.

Wayne ✌🏽

March 21, 2022 17